Broken Hearts, Shattered Dreams
by pudgypudge
Summary: It's been three years since Sakura left Naruto and his son behind for Sasuke. Broken hearted, he cut himself off from society. Now his friends want him back in the fold, and a certain blonde has even grander plans for everyone's favorite jinchuuriki.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Three years. It had been three years since that awful, horrible day when both of their worlds were shattered. He had lost a wife and the boy had lost a mother. There was no bloodshed, there was no death, and there was no yelling or profanity, although he wishes at times there had been. She had came into the living room where he and the little four year old boy were and had said that she was going. When asked when she would be back she simply replied never. Heartbroken, the little boy had asked if he could come with her and she had looked him dead in the eye and said no. It was not just a simple no, but a no that dropped a nuclear warhead on the feelings of him and the boy. The poor little thing had run back to his father and wrapped his arms around his neck, crying like there was no tomorrow. Looking at her with pleading eyes, he broke down in tears himself when she turned her nose up at him and walked out the door. Turning back to the sobbing bundle in his arms, he began to comfort the boy and rocked him to sleep. The loss of his wife wouldn't have been so devastating if not for…certain circumstances he would find out in the morning.

After waking up and shoving breakfast into himself and the boy, he was getting him dressed when a messenger bird pecked at the window. Quickly reading the message he picked the boy up and they trekked to the Hokage's office to see what might have been the problem. Tsunade, upon seeing the little boy she considered her grandchild, scooped him up and gave him a kiss. He didn't giggle like normal though, just hung there in space. She noticed his father had the same hangdog look as well. Furrowing her brow, she decided to get to the bottom of this.

"Naruto, what's the matter? Why do you and little Hikaru look so sad? Did something happen?"

"Yeah something happened alright. Sakura came home last night and said she was leaving us. For good. She didn't even have the slightest look of remorse for leaving Hikaru. If it was me I could understand, all I've ever wanted was her happiness. But to do that to her son. I don't know what to think. Anyway, I'm sorry Baa-chan, I'm rambling. What did you have to tell me?"

Tsunade was dumbstruck. The poor little boy in her arms had began sobbing against her chest at the mere mention of his mother and she looked down in sadness at him. He looked just like his father in every detail down to the whisker marks, except for the streaks of pink at the ends of his golden hair and his silver eyes. 'God, this kid's gonna be quite the looker when he grows up. Hope I'm around to see great grandchildren.' She thought to herself. Turning her gaze back to Naruto, she sighed heavily and walked back to her plush office chair, motioning him to sit as well.

"Naruto, I'm not going to lie, that is very sad. The fact that it was my apprentice and your childhood sweetheart who did it makes it very hard to accept. Since this is a domestic issue all I can do is notarize the divorce papers but I want you to know that I will make her life a living hell on the professional level. To abandon her child is unforgivable. To abandon you, when you've given her everything, should be a crime punishable by death. As for what I called you here for, I think it may explain why she left you."

At this Naruto's head snapped up and tears came to his eyes. All he could think was 'No, she wouldn't leave us for him. Not him. Please, Kami, no, not him.' Seeing the tears falling, Tsunade hung her head and whispered that it was indeed him, Sasuke had come home. He was her apprentice's one true weakness, the one thing that could make her give up a loving husband and beautiful child for a small chance with the traitorous Uchiha. That was all that needed to be said as Naruto gathered Hikaru from her arms and giving her a small peck on the cheek as thanks, exited her office. He never was the same after that. That was three years ago.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Presently, Shikamaru was talking to Ino about everyone's favorite blonde. No, not Ino herself, they were discussing Naruto's appearances in the village, or the lack thereof.

"Look Ino all I'm saying is that we need to get him out of that house. For Kami's sake all he does is do missions anymore. He doesn't come out on Saturday nights anymore, he doesn't socialize, he doesn't do anything for himself anymore. Everything he does revolves around his son and that isn't healthy. The only time we ever see him outside anymore is when he takes the boy to the park or out to eat. And while he's happy to see us, it's like he's forgotten how to talk to us."

Ino swept the hair out of her face and scrunched her nose. She wasn't sure where Shikamaru was going with all this. It was true that they all missed the blonde whirlwind, but he had responsibilities now that none of the rest of them had and she voiced her opinion on that.

"Really Shika I don't see what the big deal is. Sure we all miss him but he was dealt a really devastating blow you know? He's taking care of his son and he's trying hard. It's not like he disappeared completely. Sure I wish he would get out and do more with someone, try to move on but he can't or he won't. He was completely devoted to Sakura and I just don't see him moving on. Besides that, why are we having this conversation? If you want to try to get him outside then why don't you just ask him? Why involve me?"

"Because you're the only one of his friends that isn't involved with anyone. Come on Ino, I know you like the guy. You damn near started drooling when you saw him after his training trip with Jiraiya, and I know you like him now. And don't even try to deny it. Despite your denying your feelings you were one of the most disgusted with Sakura when she took back up with Sasuke. The two of you mended though and your friendship continued and eventually Sasuke and Sakura were let back into the fold. Naruto hasn't come back in yet and damn it; I miss him and his smile. As for you, you haven't smiled as much since he went and became a recluse either. I want my friends happy and if I have to force you to go to his house with my Shadow Possession Jutsu, I'll do it. Now go ask him out."

"But Shika…"

"No buts, GO!"

That was the end of that argument. Shikamaru could be forceful when he wanted to be. Ino currently found herself outside of Naruto's estate. After finding out that he was the son of the Fourth, all of his father's assets became his, including the family estate. The house was huge and more than accommodated Naruto and Hikaru. Ino smiled as she thought of Naruto as a father. He had always seemed like such an idiot and the thought that he was a warm and loving father made her smile. It was late already, close to ten o'clock and she didn't want to be a burden, but Shikamaru had left little to no bargaining room for her. It was now or never. She was about to knock on the door when she noticed a light coming from one of the windows. Curiosity getting the better of her she crept to the window and peeked inside. There sat Naruto on his couch as he watched Hikaru playing with a two-tailed fox. She took in his looks from her hidden position and sighed. He really was handsome. Erratic blonde hair, whisker marks, deep blue eyes, sweet body, sexy voice, he was a complete package. The fact that he was a loyal and caring person was a bonus to all that. She looked with fondness at the small smile he sported while his son wrestled with the fox and settled down to watch what happened. She couldn't honestly say she wasn't curious about Naruto and his home life. He had become such a recluse in recent years. Not that she could blame him. His ex-wife was always around town flaunting the fact that she was now the wife of the last Uchiha and the two children she had with him didn't help. Ino scowled at the thought. Did Sakura jump the guy as soon as he got in the gate and start making babies or did she have the decency to wait until the divorce was final? She shook her head and got rid of those thoughts when she heard Hikaru speak up.

"Daddy, do you think Mommy will ever come back home? I miss her."

'Oh Naruto. That's a question you shouldn't have to answer. No one deserves what you've got in life.' Ino winced at the question and thought that like any normal person Naruto would skate around it. There's a reason why he's known as the number one surprising ninja of Konoha though. Sighing, Naruto gave one of the most straightforward answers he could possibly give to a little seven year old.

"Son, I'm not going to lie to you. I don't think Mommy's ever coming back. It's just you and me from here on out. I thought back in the beginning she would see the error of her ways but it appears that Uchiha Sasuke is too great a prize to give up. I'm really sorry buddy, but it's you and me against the world."

This nearly broke Ino's heart. No one should have to suffer like these two were. Naruto had suffered his whole life and it just wasn't fair that fate was bitch slapping him left and right. His son was innocent as well. Didn't the boy deserve a mother? What caught her attention next was a totally new voice.

"Lord Naruto, I believe it is time for young Master Hikaru's bedtime. He will need his strength for his training in the morning. I do not want him passing out from lack of sleep."

That had come from the fox. Ino took another gander at the little thing. The timbre of the voice was such a deep bass that it was almost surreal. It sent shivers up her spine. And why did it address Naruto as Lord? That was weird. Wait, why the hell was a fox talking in the first place? Her thoughts were interrupted when Naruto laughed. This made Ino happy since she was probably the first to hear him laugh in a long time. Suddenly Naruto and the fox stared at each other and began to converse in a squeaky, guttural, yipping language that she couldn't decipher. She tensed thinking she had been found out, but they both relaxed and turned their attention to a now yawning Hikaru. The little boy was so cute with his hair and whisker marks. 'A future lady killer.' Thought Ino. Her process of thinking was shattered however when she was almost discovered. Naruto had crossed the room and threw the window open, nearly brushing her arm when he leaned out to sniff the night air. She held her breath and tried not to make a sound. Finally he turned and scooped Hikaru into his arms and the fox followed them to the boy's bedroom. Ino heard them talking and just when everything was quiet the boy exploded.

"Daddy sing me a song. I want a bedtime song."

The fox, which was curled at the end of the bed, growled at the little boy and had his tail pulled for his efforts. It yelped and glared at the boy, who glared back.

"Don't growl at me Genmaki. I want a song. You know daddy always sings the best songs at bedtime."

Naruto laughed at the two and told them to settle down, he'd be right back. He walked back to the den where they had been and Ino heard him shuffling around. She heard a snapping sound and a creak and then whatever he opened snapped shut again. She was about to lean back and peer through the window again when Naruto stuck his face out not two inches from hers. She squeaked and nearly rolled off the roof but he caught her arm and snickered.

"Ino, you don't have to hide in the shadows. I assume you're here for something so don't wait outside in the cold. Come on in and sit down. I'm just going to sing Hikaru to sleep and then we can talk about whatever you need to."

"How did you know I was out there? And how long did you let me sit out there in the cold when I could have been in here in the warmth?"

He couldn't help smiling at this. Same old Ino. It made him miss his friends and their antics. He gave her a foxy grin and pointed to the couch.

"Wait here. I'll be right back and then you can verbally castrate me, but my son needs his sleep. So keep it under twenty decibels ok?"

He disappeared down the hall, and it was only when he turned that Ino noticed the guitar in his hands. She cocked her head to the side and wondered when Naruto had taken up music. She shrugged and thought it wasn't like he had anything else to do. He couldn't be that good though and she couldn't remember him having all that great a singing voice either. She shuffled down the hallway and pressed her ear against the door.

"Ok son. Only one song tonight. Daddy had a friend come over and we have to discuss something. Now anything in particular? Or just something random?"

The little boy yawned and snuggled into his pillow. The lump of fur at the end of the bed rose and flopped down behind him, pushing itself against his back. Naruto smiled and strummed the guitar.

"Alright then son. Shadow of the Day it is."

I close both locks below the window

I close both blinds and turn away

Sometimes solutions aren't so simple

Sometimes good-bye's the only away

And the sun will set for you

The sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day

Will embrace the world in gray

And the sun will set for you

In cards and flowers on your window

Your friends all plead for you to stay

Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple

Sometimes good-bye's the only way

And the sun will set for you

The sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day

Will embrace the world in gray

And the sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day

Will embrace the world in gray

And the sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day

Will embrace the world in gray

And the sun will set for you

Naruto strummed the guitar a final time and smiled down at his now sleeping son and his furry guardian. He patted the fox's head and kissed his son on the forehead and walked out of the room.

Ino had heard him strum the guitar one last time through the door. She was entranced. She had heard what was quite possibly the most beautiful voice in the world and the guitar playing wasn't half bad either. The song was very soft and almost mournful and she was so caught up she almost forgot to return to the living room before she was caught eavesdropping. She innocently sat on the couch and pretended to take in her surroundings when Naruto walked back in and sat the guitar down again. He flopped down on the chair across from her and gave her a weary smile.

"So Ino, what brings you to my humble abode at this time of the night? I take it this isn't a social call?"

Ino shook her head when she heard something buzzing in her ears and realized that Naruto was talking to her. She was still caught up in the music and wasn't paying attention to him in the slightest. Her only thoughts were how she could hear that heavenly voice accompanied with that guitar again. But for now she was on a friendly mission.

"Actually it is a social call. We, and by we I mean everyone, wants you to come out with us Saturday. We miss you. Just come hang out for a few hours. Please?"

Naruto scowled at the request. He didn't want to be anywhere near society on Saturdays because he knew that all his friends gathered at whatever local venue they could to catch up. But that would mean seeing Sakura and Sasuke again and he didn't want that now or ever. He couldn't face them, it hurt too much. He turned soulful eyes to Ino and shook his head.

"I can't do that Ino and you know why. I can't face those two. They destroyed my dreams and hurt poor Hikaru. I just can't. I miss you all very much but I won't go. I have nothing to go for."

This did not settle well with Ino. She was too used to getting her way with Shikamaru and Choji and she'd be damned if Naruto was going to throw off her perfect record.

"Naruto, you're going and that's final. We want you to come back out and have fun. For Kami's sake Naruto, all you do anymore is missions and watch your son play. You need more from life. You need a life. We all miss you."

"Yeah right. If you all miss me then why is it just you here? None of you really miss me you just miss the idiot who made you all laugh. I've grown up Ino. I've had to grow up fast and I have responsibilities the rest of you don't."

"Naruto, please, don't say things like that. We want you to have fun, we miss you…"

"None of you really miss me."

"I MISS YOU!"

Ino clapped her hand over her mouth after she shouted that to the heavens. Partly in fear of having woken Hikaru and partly in realization of what she said. She had been saying 'we' the whole time and had finally just let it go. She missed him. She missed his smile. It had been damn near three years since anyone had seen it and she missed it more than most. She was all by herself and that smile was always a constant in her life. Whenever she had a bad breakup, there was Naruto with that smile and a quick hug, saying everything would be all right. Whenever life was getting to her, there he was with that radiant smile. She looked over to see his reaction and saw his face pointed toward the floor, staring at his feet.

"Do…do you really mean that Ino?"

She could hear the desperation in his voice. He wanted so badly to know that he was missed, that he wasn't an outcast.

"Of course I meant it. I miss you Naruto. Of all the guys in my life you were always there for me. Hell, I'll even admit that when you came back I thought you were extremely hot. I miss your smile Naruto. The world has been much dimmer without the sunshine of Konoha in it. Please come with us Saturday."

He looked up at her and she could see the dam starting to break. Three years of seclusion had done him no good. And at his most vulnerable, Ino saw him for who he was. A person who had bottled up everything and shoved it aside, threw aside his feelings for the sake of his son. To ensure that no matter what shit pile life shoved at his son he would take the blow. He had removed himself from society so that he wouldn't have to face his ex wife and ex best friend and it broke her heart. She immediately got up and drug him back to the couch and hugged him while he cried and let it all out.

"You don't know how much it hurts Ino. He's taken everything from me. He took Sakura, he took my little boy's mother. He took my self-respect again and again. He's looked down on me forever. My brother. But worst of all, he took my dream Ino. He took the only thing to keep me going over the years. I just don't think I can face the two of them with my head held high after I've been down in the dirt for so long."

Ino just held him and her anger at her two friends washed over her again. It was all true. Those two had destroyed Naruto's ambitions and dreams. Sakura destroyed his family when she left and Sasuke was basically given the title Hokage even though he was a traitor. The Council simply wouldn't let the Demon have it. Tsunade fought tooth and nail but it just didn't matter. Sasuke was the next Hokage, despite the uproar from the majority of the town and ninja who had come to see Naruto as the only logical choice. The man had made strides his whole life to erase any doubt that he was Naruto, a hero, and not a demon. But logic doesn't work in politics and he was cast out. Ino came out of her thoughts just as he stopped sobbing and hiccupping on her shoulder. She looked up and her eyes were caught in that soul-searing gaze of his. The only thoughts running through her head at that moment were 'beautiful' and 'I would never have done that to him'. She felt him slide away from her embrace and he sat upright again, his resolve back and his posture from the past finally returning. He turned and gave her a smile that nearly made her melt in her shoes.

"Alright Ino. I'll go Saturday with you. But only if you accompany me yourself. I don't want to go alone."

Her eyes widened and her brain nearly short circuited. Here was Konoha's most eligible bachelor telling her he would go out but only if it was with her. The gods of fate would get many sacrifices in their honor later. With just a little bit of hope in her voice she managed to squeak out her reply.

"Naruto, are you asking me out on a date Saturday?"

"Yes Ino I am. I think that after three years, I need to get back out into society and there is only one person I can think of right now worthy of me returning to society with. And she's sitting right here. So how about it? Call it a date?"

Ino did something then that she hadn't done since Naruto's self imposed exile. She smiled. Not a fake smile, but a genuine, happy smile that warmed the room. In less than a second, mopey Ino was gone and the old, self assured Ino was back, the smile widening into one of her Cheshire cat grins and Naruto knew he was screwed.

"Oh Naruto, of course I'll go with you. But you have to do me one favor in return."

"For the most beautiful Kunoichi in the Konoha, anything."

That pulled the old heartstrings. Ino hadn't been called beautiful in years. She simply hadn't attempted to be. She was still a knockout but hearing the hottest guy in Konoha say that was enough to flush her cheeks immediately.

"Thank you Naruto. That means a lot to me. My only request is that you play your guitar for me. I want to hear you sing again. I, I was listening while you were playing to Hikaru. It was angelic. I loved it. Play for me, please?"

Naruto chuckled and reached for his guitar. If this was all it took to win over a lady he had it made. Not to mention that the girl he was going out with Saturday was the most eligible bacholorette in Konoha. (The guys and gals of Konoha all have an unofficial bingo book of who is the hottest and most eligible singles in the village and Naruto and Ino had topped that list for several years now.) He strummed the guitar and gave Ino another smile.

"Well then beautiful, do you have any requests?"

"Just sing whisker boy. We'll iron out the details of our date later."

"Yes milady."

**The song is _Shadow of the Day _by Linkin Park.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the songs in this fic.

CHAPTER TWO

Ino had flown home after that night at Naruto's. She was like a totally different person and everyone saw it but no one asked any questions. It was so rare to see her in a good mood lately that no one wanted to spoil it. She was smiling so much that it was hurting everyone else's faces. Shikamaru had given her two days before he decided to check on what the deal was. He had asked her to check on Naruto on Wednesday and it was now Friday. Her mission was to get him out Saturday and he wanted to know if the mission was accomplished. Walking into the flower shop he was greeted with a blinding flash of teeth and a loud screech.

"SHIKA! Just the person I wanted to see."

He winced and realized he should have made a run for it.

"Sigh. Hello Ino. How did your mission go? It wasn't too troublesome I take it?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

Shikamaru cocked his eyebrow at this and scowled.

"So you didn't get him to come huh?"

"For your information I did talk to him and he said maybe. You'll see Saturday night whether he comes or not. If he does, where are we going?"

"Everyone has decided to meet up at the karaoke bar. You know the one for shinobi and civilians. So troublesome. I don't like the atmosphere there but it is nicer than the one exclusively for shinobi."

"That's true. Well I gotta get back to work Shika. I'll see you tomorrow ok?"

Receiving a grunt for an answer, she turned and began making plans for tomorrow. Wait a minute; didn't he say the karaoke bar? Ino grinned evilly and thought 'Perfect'. She could get Naruto to sing there and everyone would realize how great he was and that she was on the arm of the hottest guy in town. Maybe she could even get him to sing a love song to her…whoa, whoa slow down girl. One step at a time. She turned back to the bouquet she was working on and began humming happily.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Saturday flew by quickly and Ino found herself in a frenzy over what to wear. She hadn't been this exited about a date in years. She was glad that Naruto had grown out of his orange jumpsuit phase and had in recent years actually become something of a fashion plate. That would go nicely with her, as she always liked to look her best. She finally decided on a little black dress (every girl's secret weapon) and a pair of black heels. She wore her hair in her usual ponytail down her back since she knew that Naruto liked his women natural if at all possible. He didn't like fakes or phonies. Since her beauty was natural anyway she forsook makeup and just put on some lipstick. A couple of hoop earrings and some gold bracelets and voila! A complete knockout for the evening. She only hoped that he had put forth an effort as well. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock at the door. Rushing to the door, she nearly tripped over her shoes. 'Calm down Ino. It's only Naruto. He cleans up well but you've got him beat in the looks department tonight.' Oh how wrong she was. She opened the door and there in front of her was an Adonis. Ino had forgotten how tall he had gotten. Even with her heels she wouldn't reach the bottom of his chin. He was a giant. She looked up into his eyes and saw that he had on his foxiest grin.

"Good evening Ino."

She didn't even hear him. She was too busy drinking up the rest of him with her eyes. He was wearing a white button down shirt with golden stitching that ran like flames up to his chest and his blue jeans had a yellow fox with nine tails crawling up one leg. Custom made stuff, very nice. She traveled down to his shoes and saw that they were leather boots of a reddish tint. She unknowingly licked her lips and continued to travel over his figure to his studded belt and saw that he had his white battle coat on his arm. That was his signature, his father's coat. Suddenly a thought came to her head, her date was HOT! And he was all hers for the evening. Sasuke be damned, Sakura had let a fine fish back into the sea and Ino had caught him. She was brought out of visually eating him up when she heard a chuckle and looked up to see Naruto scratching the back of his head while looking away.

"Um, Ino, if you don't mind, could you stop undressing me with your eyes? At least not until after dinner? I've just arrived back on the dating scene and I'd rather not be eyed like a piece of meat, even if you are beautiful and I'm your date."

He gave her another foxy grin and she blushed. Wait, blushed? Yamanaka Ino did not blush for guys. But here she was doing it for Naruto. He had completely caught her in the act and she didn't really care. A smirk crept across her face and she gave him a look that meant he was going to be teased mercilessly throughout the evening. When she batted her eyelashes at him, he gulped.

"Well if you don't want someone admiring the goods, you shouldn't dress that way hot stuff. I can't help looking at you if you look like a Greek god. You look good enough to eat. Unfortunately I'm not a cannibal and I'd really prefer cooked meat tonight, so where are we going?"

"Well, madam, you are the initiator of this little event so I believe you should pick. My treat of course. Wherever you want."

"Fine. I want to go to the most expensive place in Konoha and I want you to talk to me the entire time. Then we're going to a club. Is that ok?"

She was expecting a fight, at least a small struggle. After all this was Naruto and he didn't do fancy. She quirked her eyebrow when he shrugged and gave her a small smile.

"Whatever milady wants, milady gets."

Boy, that floored her. If he kept calling her madam and milady, she was going to melt in front of him. She hadn't been treated so well on a date in years and they hadn't even left her house yet. 'Yep this is gonna be a good evening.' She thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They soon arrived at the restaurant, and Ino was definitely pleased. Not only had his manners improved over the years but they were turning heads and she could see people pointing and whispering. They were quite the pair with her flowing blonde locks and his unkempt but still in place golden hair. She had looked at that mop of his and wondered how it felt but stomped out those thoughts until she got to know him better. They were almost there when he had suddenly started chuckling and she asked him what the problem was. He looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes.

"See that old lady over there across the street? She said that we made the cutest couple she had seen in a long time. I also heard her mutter to herself whether or not the kids would turn out natural blonde or if we were both dying our hair."

"How did you hear her say that? She's at least a good fifty feet away Naruto."

"Enhanced senses Ino. I don't have a fox demon in me for nothing. The whiskers are just one of the many things I gained by having him in me. I can also smell the lilac perfume on you and I know that you had oatmeal for breakfast."

She scrunched her nose at this. Her perfume was easily identifiable and the oatmeal was probably a lucky guess.

"Uh huh. And you think I believe all that? My perfume may be lilac but the part about oatmeal was a lucky guess."

"Ah but Ino I haven't been close enough to smell your perfume. You only put on a drop our two at the most behind your ears. And as for your oatmeal you had cinammon apple."

Well that shut her up. If he could smell that and hear that far away it was no wonder he had known she was outside the window that night. Turning her thoughts from then to now, she placed her drink order and bridged her hands under her chin. She sighed and thought it was best to get any secrets between them out of the way.

"So Naruto. Where did the fox come from and how did it speak? Was that a genjutsu you put me under?"

"Uh no. Genmaki is one of my summons. He's completely loyal to me and I've sacrificed some of my chakra to keep him here in this world permanently as a guard for my son. The two are very fond of each other besides, even if they do fight like siblings."

"Ok. But how does he speak?"

"He's a summon. All summons speak the human language. The fox summons are just more adept than most because they are the most intelligent."

Well that made as much sense as anything. But something was still remiss.

"Why did it call you Lord? I've never heard the toads call you that."

Naruto had to think quickly. He didn't have an answer prepared for that.

"Um, since I'm the first human to ever summon foxes they kind of revere me. I'm something of a celebrity in the summons world. It makes me uncomfortable but they refuse to call me anything but Lord."

Ino was satisfied for the moment but his quick eye darts around the room told her that she wasn't getting the whole story. No matter, she'd find out later. After all as good as the evening was going, she wanted more than one of these dates and damned if she didn't usually get what she wanted.

"Naruto, tell me about Hikaru."

She noticed that he just stared at her for a moment and then he broke out into an ear splitting grin. She was startled at first but when he launched into his fatherly diatribe about how great his son was she just rested her head into her cupped hands and listened with a small smile on her face. He was immensely proud of his son and would tell anyone that would listen. She sighed and thought that he was a great father. Perhaps he could be a great father to her children someday. Suddenly she realized what she had thought and nearly choked as she sipped on her drink. Naruto came around behind her and clapped her on the back, ending her discomfort. With a concerned look he asked if she was all right and she nodded her head looking for a way out of this. She saw her chance.

"The food's here."

They ate in relative silence and nothing more was said in their time in the restaurant. Naruto paid the bill and when Ino saw the zeroes on the piece of paper she nearly fainted, but he paid it like he was flipping a quarter to someone. 'He must be loaded.' Ino thought. They stepped outside the restaurant and noticed that the air was decidedly cooler. Ino rubbed her arms and thought that maybe the little black dress wasn't a good way to go when she felt a weight on her shoulders and turned to see Naruto putting his battle coat on her. 'Such a gentleman. Has he always been so kind?' He smiled at her and stood there with his hands on his hips.

"So, milady, where to now?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

About a half hour later, the two were outside of the karaoke bar and Naruto was feeling like he was being set up. He was suddenly very hot and uncertain as to whether he should go in, but Ino grabbed his arm and pulled him along behind her. She growled at his hesitancy and gave him a sharp look.

"Damnit Naruto, this has been a wonderful evening so far and I'm not gonna let your insecurities over whether your friends still like you or not spoil that. We all want you here so come on."

"Gulp. Yes ma'am."

He had to let his eyes adjust to the dark atmosphere at first and then noticed all his friends sitting at a table in the back. Everyone was there. As soon as Lee saw him he smiled and flashed his teeth, blinding everyone, and rushed across the room.

"NARUTO, MY YOUTHFUL FRIEND! TONIGHT IS A GLORIOUS NIGHT FOR YOU TO SPEND WITH US! LET US ALL SHOW YOU THE YOUTHFUL GATHERINGS YOU HAVE MISSED IN THE PAST YEARS!"

"Damnit Lee. I wasn't finished singing yet. You asshole!"

Naruto turned and saw Kiba on the stage with a microphone in his hand. He also was grinning from ear to ear and waved at Naruto who returned the gesture. The next few minutes were a whirlwind of reintroductions and hand shaking and hugs from the girls. It was only after about fifteen minutes that Naruto leaned over to Ino, who was still wearing his coat and sniffing it discreetly every few moments since it smelled like him, and asked where _they_ were.

"Um I don't know. They're usually here by now. Maybe they won't come tonight. But away from that, will you sing for me tonight? Please?"

He looked over at her and saw nothing but big puppy dog eyes. 'Damn, she's just too cute.' He sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Of course Ino. If that's what you want, I'll sing a song. But it will be one that I want to sing. And we'll leave immediately after. I don't want any fan girls trying to chat me up. Agreed?"

She shook her head vigorously. This was the perfect evening. Not much could ruin it and if she had her way nothing would.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It seems that all of his friends decided to sing. Most were horrible but it wasn't about the atrocity of their voices it was about the fun and camaraderie. Kiba had finally finished his song and Lee followed after. Everyone had his or her turn. Hinata sang a very beautiful traditional Japanese song and even Neji sang, except he was almost smashed and no one could understand his slurring. The evening almost stopped when Sakura and Sasuke walked in the door and everyone hushed for a moment but were spurred on by Naruto speaking in a small voice.

"Don't stop on my account. I'll be fine, just act like normal."

He gave Ino's hand a squeeze while he said this, as if he was looking for reassurance. She squeezed back and she could see him visibly relax. As long as he had one person in his corner he'd be fine. Sakura and Sasuke took their place at the head of the table and the talking continued. Sakura eventually took her turn and sang an old, folksy song, and Sasuke declined his turn with a familiar 'Hn.' Suddenly Lee jumped up onto his chair and pointed at Naruto.

"NARUTO! MY YOUTHFUL FRIEND! YOU HAVE NOT SANG A SONG YET AND I WOULD BE REMISS IN LETTING YOU GO WITHOUT SHOWING US YOUR BURNING FLAMES OF YOUTH ONSTAGE!"

Sighing Naruto stood up and looked at Ino. She had a smirk on her face but her eyes betrayed her. She didn't want the night ruined because he did something he didn't want to do. He just smiled at her and made his way to the stage. All eyes were on him as he sat on the stool and turned to the DJ.

"Thank you but no music will be necessary. I shall provide the music and words myself."

This caught everyone's attention. The stage was lit up and Naruto just sat on the stool with a far off look in his eyes. Suddenly he snapped his fingers and a three-tailed fox the size of a large dog appeared on the stage in a puff of smoke. It looked up at him and yawned.

"**Yes Lord Naruto? How can I be of service to you?"**

"I need you to go and fetch my guitar from the house and bring it back here. Oh and bring the travel case with you, I'll just carry it home later. Then you may go back to your nap."

"**As you wish my Lord."**

The fox vanished in a puff of smoke and immediately questions began to rain down upon him.

Where'd the fox come from? I didn't see you make any hand signs, how'd you summon it? You play guitar?

"Ok I'll answer those in order. Not telling, not telling, and yes I play the guitar. In time I may tell you how I do the other things but for now just know that I can."

A puff of smoke beside him let him know that the fox was back and it had his guitar strapped to his back. It did not look happy.

"Something wrong?"

"**Your son was gracious enough to strap the instrument to my back but the little snot pulled my tails before I left. Please tell Master Hikaru that that is ****not**** an appropriate way to tell someone goodbye."**

"Of course I'll tell him. Sorry for disturbing you. You may go now."

"**Thank you my Lord. I shall see you again soon."**

The fox vanished and Naruto turned back to the crowd whose jaws had dropped. He tuned the instrument and strummed it a few times, never once looking at the crowd. He kept his head down and thought of what song to sing. Finally, he glanced at Sakura through his bangs and a devious smile crossed his face. Revenge is a dish best served cold and what he was about to sing was going to look very badly on her. He still didn't raise his gaze though.

"This is a song I wrote a couple years back. Hope you all enjoy it. It's a little sad but its how I feel."

Lately I've been spendin lots of time with my kid  
Tellin him stories  
About the things that we did  
When we were a family  
Long time ago  
I've answered his questions  
Till I'm blue in the face  
Wish all that hurt in him  
I could erase  
But I tell him the truth  
Cause he ain't to young to know

'Uh-oh' Ino thought 'This could be trouble if Sakura gets out of hand.' She quickly looked over to the pink haired shinobi and saw her sitting there with a curious look on her face. She seemed to be very interested in how this was going to turn out. Suddenly the chorus broke out.

Single father  
Part time mother  
When I'm not one  
Then I'm the other  
You used to be  
My full time lover  
Now I'm a single father  
And a part time mother

Ino could hardly hold back the tears. She looked around and saw that all the women, save for Sakura, had tears in their eyes. The guys all looked like they would burst any moment too. She turned back to listen to the rest.

I spend every minute  
I can with my boy  
There's no doubt about it  
He's my pride and joy  
Someday he'll grow up  
And I won't have him no more  
Some things I just find  
Too hard to explain  
So we go to McDonalds  
Or I buy him a train  
And we go put it together  
On the living room floor

Such is the life  
Of a single father  
He says daddy explain  
If its not too much bother  
While its just you and me  
Living here in this home  
I don't understand it  
And neither does he  
Why there's just two  
When there should be three of us  
Sharing this moment  
Lord I feel so alone

'Oh Sakura, how could you give up such a warm, loving person for a total iceberg of emotion? And how could you hurt that sweet little boy?'

Single father  
Part time mother  
When I'm not one  
Then I'm the other  
You used to be  
My full time lover  
Now I'm a single father  
And a part time mother

Naruto finished the song and put the guitar into the travel bag, stepped off the stage, and walked over to Ino while holding out his hand. She rose from her seat and wiped the tears from her eyes, hooked her arm in his and walked out the door. The others all sat stunned until Lee let out a whoop and rushed out the door. Everyone jumped to their feet and ran leaving Sasuke and Sakura to their own devices. Sakura, it seems, was lost in her own thoughts while Sasuke was stewing on the inside. But no one noticed this. Everyone piled into the street and looked frantically for Naruto and Ino when they heard Lee, actually talking quietly with them not thirty yards away.

"I'm serious Naruto, that was beautiful. I did not know that you had that talent. You must come back and play again next Saturday."

"I don't know Lee. I don't think I'm exactly welcome here."

"WHAT ARE YOU, STUPID? OF COURSE WE WANT YOU HERE!"

That was collectively everyone yelling all at once, even Hinata. The performance they had just witnessed had to be repeated again. He simply couldn't get off the hook after one time. They insisted that he come back next Saturday and play a new song. After much cajoling Naruto relented and he and Ino set off for her apartment to say goodnight. The walk was quiet but comfortable. Naruto was thinking about how much fun he had had and Ino was scheming about how she could get another date out of him and get to hear that marvelous voice again. As if on cue Naruto quelled any doubts in her mind.

"You know Ino, I had a feeling that tonight was going to be a disaster but I had more fun tonight than I've had in years. I want to thank you for making that possible."

"But I didn't do anything."

"Yes you did. You took the initiative to ask me out and now I would appreciate it if you would give me the opportunity to return the favor. Ino, would you go out on a date with me?"

She was stunned. Naruto had just given her what she wanted and she hadn't had to ask. She was on cloud nine. Crashing back to earth suddenly she realized that they had stopped walking a short while ago and were in front of her apartment building. Dredging up the old Ino bravado she put on that devilish grin. Naruto immediately knew she was up to something.

"But of course Naruto. I would love to go out with you again. But it has to be Saturday and you have to sing at the club again. Ok?"

"Is that all? I was afraid you were going to want a striptease or something."

"Not yet. Maybe soon, but not yet. You do have a nice ass though."

He immediately turned tomato red and Ino was satisfied with a job well done. Pretty soon she'd have him at her beck and call and…well that would be no fun, after all there's no challenge in a docile man. She said goodnight and turned to her door, before smirking and spun around, grabbed him by the collar, jerked his head down and gave him a peck on the cheek. She then ran inside and slammed the door leaving a stunned Naruto and a slightly hyperventilating Ino on both sides of the door. Both let a small smile creep onto their faces and went to do their own thing. Ino of course, planning how she would gossip about her smashing success of a date with the hottest guy in town and Naruto went to his house to relieve Genmaki of babysitting duty. He arrived home and was tackled by his son.

"Didja have fun Daddy?"

"Yes son. I had a lot of fun and got to see many of my old friends."

"Was the Ino lady I saw here last night nice? She was pretty. I like her."

"And how did you see Ino last night? You were supposed to be in bed young man."

"**That was my fault Lord Naruto. The little runt wanted to peek and I was curious as well, so…we looked in on you two. I hope you can forgive me."**

Naruto looked down at the small fox and reached to scratch his ears, causing Genmaki to shake his leg and pant happily. Hikaru giggled at his caretaker's weakness and plotted to use it on him later.

"No Genmaki, I'm not angry with you. I had the best night of my life in three years tonight and Ino was an absolute angel. I hope to see more of her. Maybe she'll even take a liking to you and Hikaru. Now both of you go to bed, I'm tired. Sorry son no song tonight. Oh and Hikaru? Stop pulling the fox's tales. They hate when you do that and it's not nice. Understand?"

They both walked off grumbling and Naruto flopped on the couch with a sigh.

'Well, Ino. I hope you like me as much as you say you do, because I plan to see a lot more of you soon. And I hope you take my secret well.' With that he released his henge and out popped nine red fox tails with golden tips and ears of the same color. He stared at his claws and put his hands behind his head. He had to gain her trust and soon. Time was running short.

**The song is 'Single Father' by Kid Rock.**


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you all for the reviews. I really appreciate the fact that so many people like what I do. There have been a couple who have written off the story as being too black and white, too much evil in Sakura and Sasuke and not enough evil in the rest. I know the world is filled with shades of grey but you have to give me time to flesh out the story. For those of you who have written me off already, don't judge a story because of two chapters. For those of you who like the story, I promise to try to make it as unique as I can while still remaining true to the Naruto story. Thank you all again. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any songs, now and forever.

CHAPTER THREE 

It was once again Wednesday and Ino had been avoiding Sakura all week. She didn't want to have to answer any questions about her and Naruto. Working at the flower shop however put her in an easy to find position and it wasn't too soon that Sakura found her. There was going to be hell to pay now.

"How could you Ino? How could you bring that, that _thing_, to the club with you? I don't want you around him anymore."

Ino crossed her arms and glared at her supposed friend. How could she say those things about Naruto? He had never been anything less than kind and considerate to his friends and loving to those he really cared for. She didn't know where this was coming from.

"Really Sakura, there is no need for you to worry. Naruto and I are just friends at the moment. And even if we were more than that, you have no reason and no right to tell me what I can and can't do."

"Ino trust me. You don't want to get involved with him. He's not…normal."

"You know, Sakura, I don't know why you're telling me all this. You had no complaints about Naruto until Sasuke came back. In fact you were blissfully happy with him and his son."

"My son Ino. He's my son as well."

"Actually Sakura I think you gave up that right three years ago to be called his mother. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."

"Fine Ino. You just keep messing with that demon. You'll find out eventually that he isn't what he seems. And I'll take care of my son one way or the other."

Ino scowled and folded her arms across her chest. What the hell was all that about? Naruto may have a demon in him but he wasn't the demon. They had established all that years ago. There was more to this than meets the eye and she would be sure to get to the bottom of it. She'd go talk to Naruto after she closed up the shop.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On the way to Naruto's house Ino was deep in thought. Why was Sakura being such a bitch about the situation? Maybe it wasn't smart for Naruto to sing that particular song last night but he had every right to be bitter. She was the one who abandoned them not the other way around. Still she'd called Naruto a demon and that bothered her. The Kyuubi to her knowledge was still locked up in his navel. And Naruto was never anything but kind to everyone, hell, even little kids loved him. He was like a magnet for children. Little boys loved his frog summons and Gamakichi was a popular fixture around the park when Naruto and Hikaru were present. His fox summons were popular with the girls and it wasn't uncommon to see a family of fox kits being cuddled and petted. Genmaki sat by Naruto's side and carefully watched his charge play with the other children. It was such a common sight that nobody thought about it anymore. Ino smiled at the thought of Naruto being thought of as normal for once, a fixture in the community instead of an eyesore. Thinking even further back she remembered the first time Naruto brought little Hikaru to the park.

_It was just after lunch and there were children playing all over the playground in the park. It seemed time froze and everyone looked up to see Naruto and Hikaru walk onto the field. All the adults looked at him with sadness in their eyes. Ino in particular felt bad for him. She was there with her little cousin. It had become public knowledge what had happened between him and Sakura and he had their sympathies. He had become a living legend among the populace of Konoha for all his many battles and good deeds and almost everyone respected him. Their children had heard stories of the golden haired shinobi and all idolized him but they had never seen him in person. He was tall and muscular and stood out like a sore thumb. All eyes immediately swung to the mini-me version hiding behind his legs. With his equally golden hair and pink tips it was easy to see who his parents were and the whiskers on his cheek left nothing to the imagination either. Naruto and Hikaru found their way to a bench and flopped down and were immediately swamped by a multitude of wide-eyed children. Eyes swung from him to his lookalike to the small fox in Hikaru's lap and they were bombarded by questions. Naruto looked down at his son to see that he had a tight grip on Genmaki and a look of curious fear in his eyes. He wanted to play with the children but they were scaring him at the moment. Poor Genmaki was having trouble breathing and the look on his face sent Naruto into a fit of laughter. All questions ceased as they watched the broad chested shinobi throw his head back and laugh. Finally done he turned his head back to the throng of children who had all plopped down on the grass. He looked out of the corner of his eyes at the parents who were all intrigued and wondering what would happen. He smirked and gave the children his full attention._

"_Now then little ones, what do you want answered first?"_

"_Who are you? Are you the one known as the Golden Cyclone?"_

"_Yes I am. My name is Uzumaki Naruto and this is my son Uzumaki Hikaru. We came to the park so that he could make some friends and play with you. Would you let him do that?"_

_A chorus of yeses rang out. After all it wasn't every day you saw a living legend and he asked you to play with his son. That question answered they turned to others._

"_Where did you get the fox? Can we pet him?"_

"_Genmaki is his name. You can pet him if he lets you. And he is my summon and my son's guardian. He protects Hikaru when I'm not around and is a member of my family."_

"_A summon? I've never heard of anyone having a contract for a fox summon. Iruka-sensei said that the contracts for Konoha were the slug, snake, and toad summons."_

_Naruto let out another belly laugh and nodded his head._

"_That is correct little ones. Those are Konoha's summons. However, I am special and have a contract with the foxes. When Hikaru is old enough it will pass to him. But I have also signed the contract for the toads and I still use them on occasion. Gamabunta is a nice old toad and his children are friends of mine."_

_Wide eyes and slack jaws were what greeted his eyes. _

"_You are the Toad Sennin? But how can you have two contracts? That shouldn't be possible."_

"_I've told you I'm special. The toads like me and let me have a second contract. Normally I would be forced to cancel my contract with the toads but this was a special case. Here I'll demonstrate."_

_With that he stood up and moved to a part of the park that had a good-sized clearing. He bit his thumb and yelled 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu'. A cloud of smoke poofed into existence and after a few moments Naruto was sitting on top of a large orange toad smoking a pipe._

"_**Oi Naruto. Why did you call me out here? And who are all these children? Oi Hikaru! I haven't seen you for a while kiddo. Come here and give Uncle Gamakichi a hug ne?"**_

_Not waiting for the boy to respond Gamakichi snapped his tongue out and grabbed the boy drawing him back in. He flicked his tongue and Hikaru landed flat on top of his nose sprawled out spread eagle. Naruto snickered at this until Hikaru jumped up and began yelling at Gamakichi while stomping up and down on his forehead._

"_Uncle Kichi why'd you do that? You could have killed me you stupid frog! If you weren't daddy's friend I'd pound you into the ground."_

_Both Naruto and Gamakichi bellowed with laughter at this while all the adults and children stood by dumbfounded. Hikaru was fast becoming very popular in their minds. Not many had the guts to yell at a summoning creature nearly fifty times your size. All was quiet for a few moments until Genmaki started yipping, letting Hikaru know he needed to come down. The boy leapt off of Gamakichi and rapidly descended to the ground, getting a collective gasp from the crowed that thought he'd get hurt until Gamakichi's tongue snaked out and caught him at the last moment. After setting him down, Gamakichi looked up at Naruto and winked and poofed out of existence. Naruto looked down at all the children and smiled._

"_Now all of you, go play. Have fun."_

Sighing, Ino shook herself out of her memories. 'He really is a lovable guy. I really want to get to know him better.' She kept walking until she reached Naruto's house. Creeping slowly she made her way to the window where she first encountered him and heard him talking to Genmaki again in that growling, guttural language. She sat outside and folded her knees to her chest and waited to be let in. She knew that Naruto knew she was out there. He was simply biding his time. Soon, the growls and yips stopped and the window was thrown up. A tan face popped out and grinned at her.

"Coming in Ino? Or are you going to sit out there all night and catch your death of cold?"

She shrugged and crawled inside. He scolded her and told her to use the front door next time. She merely smirked and said she liked the window better. He gave her a lopsided grin and flopped down on his favorite chair and motioned for her to sit. She took off her shoes and curled up on the couch with her feet underneath her. She didn't even know where to begin but luckily for her, Naruto hated silence when he was comfortable.

"So what brings you to my humble abode this time? You already got another date out of me, what else can I do for you?"

"I want to know…what secret you're hiding."

His eyes bugged out and he thought quickly. 'Oh shit. I better think up something quick. I don't trust her enough to tell her the truth yet. I really want to but I can't.'

"Um, Ino. I can't tell you all my secrets yet. I want to get to know you better before I do that. You might not like me if I divulge everything at once."

"Naruto, I know about the fox. We all do. I don't hate you for that. I want to know why Sakura calls you a demon. She said that you're a monster. I want to know why before I get more involved with you. I don't want to be dating a serial killer or something like that. I want to know why."

"Sigh. Ino I can't tell you yet. Believe me when I say I want to but I just don't trust you enough yet. I want to so badly. I…I feel at ease around you and we've only gone on one date. I feel at ease around you just like…just like I used to with her."

That last part came out like a whisper, but Ino heard it. She was so stunned that she didn't even notice Naruto getting up and moving to the couch. She was knocked out of her stupor when he put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. She let out an audible sigh and melted into his side. It had been so long since she had felt the comfort of an embrace without worrying about the guy being a pervert and trying to cop a feel. She turned her head and breathed in his scent. It was earthy with a hint of…what was that smell? It was animal-like…oh right, the fox. He smelled like a fox. She'd heard Kiba say that before. She let out another sigh and heard a deep chuckle and realized what she was doing. She shot away from him as far as his arm would let her go and blushed a scarlet hue. He merely looked at her like it was natural.

"Ino, since you seem to be gung ho about getting to know me and maybe be in a relationship with me, you need to be able to accept all the aspects of my life. My secrets are something that changes the dynamic but above all I would want you to get along with Hikaru. He already likes you, but I want you to like him as well. Heh, he thinks you're pretty."

"Well at least he and his father have good taste. I'd like nothing better than to get to know Hikaru. Even if we don't work out in the end, I'd at least like to get to know the son of a friend. Where is the little ankle biter anyway?"

"You mean you haven't noticed? He's been here all along. And I thought you were one of the best with genjutsu. Ok son come out."

The wall in front of the couch suddenly shimmered and out stepped Hikaru and Genmaki.

"Hiya pretty lady. My name's Hikaru and this is Genmaki. Say hello Genmaki."

"Hello Lady Yamanaka. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Ino blinked a few times and then stood and bowed to the two of them. They both bowed back and a smile graced all their faces. Ino took in the looks of both of them; Hikaru with his pink and blonde locks and whiskers and Genmaki, who was in his fox kit form. The grin on Ino's face got bigger and bigger and once it looked like it was going to split her face, Hikaru and Genmaki gulped. They had seen that look before and it always led to one thing.

"OH MY GOD!! YOU TWO ARE TOO CUTE!!!"

With one swift motion the two were drawn into Ino's chest and smothered in a hug. Both were making exaggerated faces and screaming to Naruto to get 'the crazy lady off them.' He couldn't really since he was too busy trying to breathe from lack of air from laughing. Finally after a couple of minutes and a gagging boy and fox turning blue (something that should have been impossible due to Genmaki's fur) Naruto hauled Ino off the two of them and sat her back on the couch while Hikaru and Genmaki caught their breath. After the excitement wore off they all sat down to talk.

Ino found that Hikaru was a very bright little boy. Naruto was teaching him chakra control and several jutsu. He didn't have the large reserves that Naruto had when he was that age but with his father's guidance he was already high Genin level and he wasn't even in the academy yet. It seems that Naruto didn't want his son to have the 'education' that he did so he was teaching him everything he could at home to avoid any possible problems, like someone purposely misleading him on how to do something right. He was learning all of Naruto's jutsu but hadn't started on genjutsu except for the invisibility cloak. At the ripe old age of seven he was already a taijutsu aficionado. His father's style was purely bestial and relied on fast strikes and moving with fox like precision. Lee had stepped up to the plate though and was teaching the boy his style in between missions. He took to it like a fish to water. Naruto just beamed with pride listening to his son extol his accomplishments. Ino couldn't help but feel a little proud herself even though she hadn't had anything to do with him…yet. She figured she could help the boy with his genjutsu, especially if she was going to be around more. Now it was her turn to talk.

Hikaru sat enraptured listening to the beauty in front of him talk. He found it funny that she used to beat his dad up when they were younger and thought it hilarious how many funny stories Ino had about Naruto. All the pranks he used to play on people, his loud boisterous declarations about being Hokage, his fights with Tsunade (which Hikaru already knew about since Tsunade had already beaten it into Naruto that _her_ grandchild was to grow up respectful unlike a certain other blondehaired, bewhiskered brat), and his legendary status among the people of Konoha.

"But Miss Ino, I know all about daddy and the things he's done. I want to know about you. Who are you and what do you do?"

This took Ino aback. She wasn't expecting to be grilled by a seven year old about her past. She thought for a second and decided to give the academy answer to the question.

"Well my name is Yamanaka Ino and I'm the same age as your father. I like flowers, arranging flowers, and listening to your daddy sing (which got a blush from Naruto that didn't go unnoticed). I dislike close-minded people and those who hate others for things they have no control over. I also don't like secrets (giving a pointed glance over to Naruto who had shifted his gaze to the window). My dream is to one day have a family and be the best interrogator in the Interrogation Corps. My hobbies are reading and hanging out with my friends when I have the time."

"Wow, cool. But what kind of ninja are you? What do you specialize in?"

Ino gave a glance at Naruto that screamed 'what have you been teaching this boy?' and sighed.

"I specialize in going inside people's heads. Literally. I can send my soul into another person and take over their body and make them do things. While in there I can read their thoughts among other things. I would never do that to anyone I know though. It's a huge invasion of privacy and although I really want to know what your daddy is hiding from me, I won't do it. That ability is what makes me a shoe in for Ibiki's position when he retires. Unlike him, I don't have to resort to…unnecessary force to get the information I want."

"WHOA COOL! So you're like a mind reader?"

Ino giggled at this. Apparently the boy had also inherited Naruto's ability to simplify everything as well.

"That's it in a nutshell. That's my special power besides genjutsu. I'm not one much for taijutsu and my ninjutsu is…kinda sub par."

"Daddy can help you with that. He has lots of time on his hands since he only does S-rank missions. He says they pay a lot even though he doesn't need the money since Grandpa was rich and his books bring in a lot of money."

Unfortunately, Naruto wasn't quick enough to clap his hand over Hikaru's mouth before he said anything about the books. He really didn't want to have to explain his extra income but with Ino staring at him curiously he knew he wasn't getting out of this easily.

"So Naruto…what kind of books do you write?"

"Daddy won't tell me what he writes but he says I can't know until I'm older."

'_Damnit when did his mouth get uncovered?' _"Um I don't want to tell you yet?"

Quirking her eyebrow, Ino narrowed her eyes and gave him a pointed look. Knowing what kind of books he wrote wasn't such a big thing to know was it? Especially if she might have read them before. Seeing that he wasn't getting away with not answering he sighed and gave in.

"Remember how I'm the Toad Sennin now? Well that kind of entails a lot of things. One of them being an author in your spare time."

"And? What do you write?"

"Um, as part of my apprenticeship with Jiraiya, I had to take over his spy network and his…research."

"His research? What do you mean by…oh, Oh, OH!!"

NARUTO was the author of Icha Icha! She had read quite a few of those books in recent years and had really appreciated the turn in the series. Going from nothing but mindless sex with a plot thrown in, it had changed to a plot with lovemaking and occasional mindless sex. It was infinitely better written than when Jiraiya had been the author but his successor to the series had turned it around and it was no longer shameful to admit that you read the books. They still weren't appropriate for children but they were now more…accessible and enjoyable for everyone, especially couples. The new author had a section in the back of every book with suggestions to spice up a love life. Ino blushed at the thought of doing some of those suggestions with a certain other blonde, which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto. The realization that she was obviously a fan brought a smirk to his face.

"Ino have you been reading Icha Icha? Why yes I believe you have. So care to tell me what you think of my stories? Would you like an autograph? Any suggestions?"

Genmaki saw the perverted side of Naruto coming out and decided now was the time for Hikaru (whose head looked like a tennis ball going back and forth between looking at his daddy and the pretty lady) and him to make a hasty retreat before things got out of hand.

"Um Lord Naruto, I believe that Hikaru and I will go outside and practice his genjutsu now. Come along Hikaru. It was nice meeting you Lady Yamanaka."

"Ino please. Call me Ino, Genmaki. We'll be seeing more of each other in the future after all and we should be as friendly as possible. After certain…revelations, I know that I'll be around more. Bye Hikaru. I'll see you later."

Hikaru saw the devilish grin on her face and was about to ask what she meant, but Genmaki transformed into a fox the size of a greyhound and drug him out by his collar, kicking and screaming the whole way. Ino watched dumbfounded until she felt two arms encircle her around her shoulders and felt someone breathing by her ear. She wasn't prepared for that and nearly collapsed onto the ground. Fortunately for her Naruto had a good grip on her.

"So Ino, you never answered my question. Do you enjoy my stories?"

Turning a shade of red that would have made a twelve year old Hinata say 'damn', Ino nodded her head. She wasn't just a fan, she was a HUGE fan and had sometimes fought Kakashi for a copy of the books. Who would have thought that Naruto of all people would have been such a romantic and a pervert at the same time? That's when a thought hit her and she narrowed her eyes in victory and that smirk crossed her face again.

"So Naruto does Kakashi know you're the author of Icha Icha?"

"Um no. I don't think so. Why?"

Seeing the puzzled look on his face just made her victory all the more satisfying. She turned in his arms and threw her own around his neck. Smiling sweetly she looked into his eyes.

"Because you know about Kakashi's slavish devotion to the series and its dirtiness? Hmmm, I thought so. He was visibly upset when the dirty, dirty scenes gave way to lovemaking and an actual plot. Now then what would he do if he found out that the reason for his precious little orange books' changes were his former student? I think you'd have a lot to answer for. And I don't think he's the only upset one."

Naruto visibly blanched at this. People hounding him for the details of the latest story before it came out he could handle. People suggesting things he could handle. An upset Kakashi who had been denied his smut was something he didn't want to face, even if he was a Sannin. He had changed the direction of the series because of his own personal tastes and the sales had skyrocketed when women figured out it was now as accessible to them as men. Hell, even Jiraiya had loved the new direction (the man was a hopeless romantic at the center of his perverted heart) and had promptly asked for the first book, signed, of every issue. But he had toned down the filthiness in the books and some hated him for it. Kakashi would be one of those. He looked down at the impish smile on Ino and began to sweat.

"What do you want in exchange for silence Ino?"

She crooked her finger, motioning for him to bend down. He complied and when his chin was even with her eyes she grabbed his collar and jerked him into a kiss. It was awkward at first but eventually his surprise was beaten down and he got into it. Her eyes shot open when he deepened the kiss and she realized that he did indeed have the experience to write his novels. They broke the kiss and she looked up at him dreamily.

"That was demand number one. You're a great kisser by the way. Demand number two is more dates. Demand three: you have to sing to me whenever I want. Demand four is up to you but you know what the consequences will be if you don't comply. I want us to date and be seen in public together. If we continue down the path we're on, after two months I want us declared a couple. Understood?"

He nodded dumbly and was jerked into another kiss. Neither saw the two small shadows in the doorway, grinning like lunatics. Hikaru closed the door and they walked outside to work on his genjutsu.

"Daddy looks happy doesn't he Genmaki? I haven't seen him smile like that since before mommy left."

"Aye he does look happy. Now listen to me Hikaru. You're a bright boy and I want you to let these two work this out on their own. DO NOT under any circumstances tell Lady Yamanaka about your father's appearance under that henge. Do you understand?"

Hikaru nodded and went to work on his cloaking jutsu. If it made his father happy to date Miss Ino, wouldn't complain. He was smart for a little boy and he knew that his daddy needed someone to love. A small smile lit his face up. Maybe, just maybe if the two of them worked out, he'd have a new mommy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Breaking yet another kiss, Ino put her hands on Naruto's chest and said she had to go. He was disappointed but they both had things to do the next day. He walked her to the door and ushered her out with a promise to call her up for a date later in the week. Another quick peck on the cheek and she was gone in a whirl of leaves. Naruto shut the door and went looking for his two charges. He found Hikaru asleep leaned up against an equally knocked out Genmaki. Chuckling he picked them up and brought them inside. Having nothing better to do, he began to work on the next volume of Icha Icha, with a blonde haired heroine with a pony tail.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino made her way home and took a shower. She thought about the night's events and decided things were going in a good direction. The only thing that bothered her was Naruto's big secret, but he had promised to reveal it to her in good time. Flopping down on her bed, she thought of how sweet Naruto was and how his past was such a mystery to her. Narrowing her eyes she thought back to how Sakura had divorced him and only after several months of trying, had she been let back into their circle of friends, albeit reluctantly. Ino still had never totally forgiven Sakura but to promote peace she tolerated her. Steeling her resolve, she decided that tomorrow she would go and talk to Sakura and once and for all get her side of the story. Looking to the bedside table she saw a familiar orange book. The thought of who wrote it in her mind made her blush and she grabbed the book and opened it to where she had last been reading. Her appreciation had gone up tenfold in the past few hours for the series. With the blush still on her face, she began to read about Akira and Kagome and how they were able to overcome social status to be happy while still maintaining an active bedroom life.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm really getting into this story I'm writing. I hope you guys are too. I'm going to try to keep this going as long as I have an idea. Right now I'm banging out chapters right and left but if a few days go by without anything do not worry. I've probably just got writer's block. Doesn't happen too often since I think about where to go with this at odd intervals throughout the day. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the songs in this fic.

CHAPTER FOUR 

As Ino stood outside the Uchiha clan house, she tried to remember why she was there in the first place. Thoughts flooded her mind: Naruto breaking down, the image of Hikaru crying, how they both put on a smile despite how much the betrayal of Sakura must have hurt. She scowled and the reason came to her. She had Naruto's side of the story, now she wanted Sakura's. Naruto was not one to lie about things but he sometimes left out information that could be crucial, like the time Sasuke put a Chidori through his chest and he didn't tell anyone. That set her to steaming again and she pounded on the door with all her might. She reasoned with herself that it was a big house and she wanted them to hear her even if she left a dent in the door. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was pissed all over again. Moments after her beating of the door it creaked open and revealed Sasuke in all his brooder glory. He was still a heartthrob: the classic black locks in a duck's ass hairdo, the perpetual scowl on his face, and the body of a genius. However, his looks just made Ino's scowl darken more as she thought back to how blindly she had followed him in her younger days. If she would have been a bit more observant then she might have seen how wonderful a person Naruto was and neither of them would have been alone. She was startled out of her thoughts by a buzzing in her ears.

"…you want? What do you want Ino?"

"I, uh, I want to speak to Sakura if I can."

Sasuke just nodded once and opened the door wide and ushered her in. After closing the door he motioned for her to follow him and led her into a large room where Sakura was playing with their two children. He grunted, letting her know he was there, and her head perked up and she glared when she saw Ino. Ino saw this and cleared her throat.

"Sakura, I've come to talk to you about the other day…alone?"

Seeing that he and his children were not needed here, Sasuke led them out and shut the door. 'Actually using some tact for once.' Thought Ino. Sakura sat on the floor with her legs crossed and an expectant look on her face. Ino crossed the floor and sat across from her. She didn't really know where to begin this but found out how when Sakura opened her mouth.

"So, come to apologize for the other day and tell me I'm right? I knew you'd come around eventually."

Ino's head shot up so quick you'd have thought her neck would snap. She glared at Sakura which made the pink haired woman gulp. Finding her resolve, Ino launched into a conversation that would change her views on several people.

"No I haven't changed my mind from the other day and I won't apologize. What I've come here for is a reason for what you said. We all know that the fox is sealed inside Naruto but he isn't the damn fox. I want to know why you divorced a very kind, loving, and noble man for an ice-cube like Sasuke. I want to know why you abandoned your son. I want to know why you hate Naruto now."

Instead of getting defensive, Sakura just sighed, which confused Ino greatly. When she raised her head, Ino saw tears in her eyes.

"Everything you've said about Naruto is true Ino. Yes he is kind, loyal, loving, and noble. He cares for Hikaru like nothing else. He loved me unconditionally. My life with him was content. I wanted for nothing while I was married to him. I don't hate Naruto the man, however. I hate Naruto the demon. You weren't there every time he lost control to the fox. He hurt me Ino. I was scared the last four years of our marriage. I'd go to sleep and wonder if I'd wake up the next morning. The only thing that kept me there was Hikaru."

"Then Sasuke came back and my love for him came hurtling back. I fell in love all over again with him. He was so handsome and he'd accomplished his dream of killing his brother and I wanted to help him restore his clan. I _needed_ to help him restore his clan. No one else could love him the way I could. I immediately marched up and declared my love for him and you know what he did? He kissed me Ino and electricity shot through my body. I hadn't felt like that since…ever. Naruto never made me feel like that. I was safe and warm with Naruto, but with Sasuke I felt alive again and I felt needed. I was needed. Nobody else would let him marry their daughters and all of you had given up on him. Hell, even Naruto didn't want to save him anymore. I couldn't stay married to Naruto anymore Ino. Sasuke needed me more."

Ino sat back and let all this soak in. Somethings just didn't add up.

"So you never loved Naruto? What about Hikaru?"

"Of course I cared about Naruto. And I could never not love my son."

"I didn't ask if you cared about him. I asked if you loved him."

Silence answered her. Sakura's head hung down and then her eyes shot back up to lock onto Ino's.

"No. I never loved him. Not like that. I cared about him, yes, but I never loved him."

"Then why did you marry him? Give him a son? Give him hope?"

"Because I had no one else. He made me feel wanted. I didn't love him but I at least felt…assured that he wouldn't leave me. Hikaru was a mistake anyway. I didn't want to get pregnant by Naruto. I love Hikaru but I never wanted him."

"That's fucked up Sakura. Neither of them deserved what you did. And how can you say you love your son when you left him all alone with someone you call a monster?"

"Because demons can't or won't hurt their own. I read up on demon lore. Naruto can't hurt his child in a life threatening way. The demon in him won't let him. Besides, Sasuke wouldn't have wanted Hikaru living here with our children."

Ino narrowed her eyes at her supposed best friend. This situation was becoming more and more fucked up by the second. In Sakura's mind she had done something normal. She didn't have any remorse because for some reason she had convinced herself that Naruto was a danger to her and everyone else. She wasn't any better than those ignorant assed villagers back in the day. Then a thought clicked in her mind.

"Do your children even know they have a brother?"

"Hikaru is not their brother. And I've told them to stay away from him."

"YOU BITCH! HE'S YOUR SON! AND YOU'RE ACTING NO BETTER THAN THOSE GODDAMN VILLAGERS!"

"Keep your voice down Ino. What goes on in here is between you and me. I don't want my children brought into this."

"Telling them to stay away. You saw what happened to Naruto in his childhood. You were on his team. For God's sake Sakura think of how it must have felt to him to be ostracized for no reason. Why would you do that?"

"Because Sasuke said…."

She immediately clapped her hand over her mouth. She'd said too much. Ino's eyes burned with a ferocity that would have torched the Uchiha compound if they would have burst from her. After a few deep breaths, she was able to get herself under control and locked her icy gaze on Sakura, leaving the other kunoichi very uncomfortable.

"Because Sasuke said so, huh? That's low Sakura. I thought you were over your fan girl days. That's ignorant and very shitty of you. In fact, as of right now, I'm through with you. I don't want anything to do with you. And just to let you know, that I am going to be with Naruto. I'm…I'm starting to fall for him, Sakura. He's everything I've ever wanted in a man. Hikaru is such a kind, polite little boy and when he was telling me what all he knew do you know what I felt? I felt a pride in him, a sort of motherly pride that I shouldn't feel because I don't know him yet. But I'm going to change that Sakura. I'm going to get to know the both of them."

"And Sakura I want you to know. No one was happy with your decision to leave Naruto. You were hated for quite a while. Sasuke has never been fully reaccepted. What he did when he left this village should have resulted in a death penalty. I got over my thing for Sasuke long ago. You had a good man Sakura, one of the best. And you let him go because of a childish crush that you think is love. You have two children by an iceberg of emotion that doesn't even know what love is. You want my advice Sakura? Stay away from Naruto and Hikaru. Raise your children with your love because I don't think they'll get any from Sasuke. Make sure that they don't become like him. Before I go I want you to ask yourself one question. Just one. Has Sasuke ever even said that he loves you? In three years has he ever said that he loves you? Or have you taken that for granted? I used to hear Naruto say he loves you every day. I could see it in his eyes. You fucked up Sakura, and you fucked up big. Goodbye Sakura. This is our last goodbye."

Ino turned and opened the door and walked out leaving it open. She passed Sasuke on her way out and gave him a cold stare. He raised an eyebrow at her and watched her walk by. He'd never gotten the cold shoulder from any girl, let alone Ino. She used to hang off every word he said. He continued on into the room where he had left the two of them and saw Sakura sitting on the floor with her knees drawn up close to her and her chin resting on her hands. He crossed the floor and stood in front of her.

"I take it your talk didn't go well?"

"No not at all. I lost another friend today."

"Something to do with the dobe eh? I thought as much. Stay away from her Sakura. She'll be nothing but trouble. Perhaps I can do something about her when I become Hokage."

Sakura looked up at him with a bewildered stare. Why would he try to hurt Ino because of Naruto? He shouldn't care about him anymore. Putting her head back on her knees she stared straight ahead and caught him leaving out of the corner of her eyes.

"Sasuke I have a couple questions for you dear?"

"What is it? I have much to do. I don't have time to stand around all day for you."

She winced at the tone and the use of words. A tiny glimmer of doubt ignited in her heart for the first time in three years. She had always taken his words in stride but after her conversation with Ino she was more down than normal. Usually the glow of being Uchiha Sakura was enough to keep her going. She formed her words carefully.

"Do you…do you love me?"

He gave her a stare that could have melted steel and offered up one of his classic 'Hns' and walked out the door leaving an unusually quiet Sakura. He didn't answer her but then again he never answers her. Why should now be any different. He'd never really said he loved her, but she always knew he did. Why then, did his silence hurt so much more than before? Naruto had always made her feel special when he said 'I Love You' like she was the only girl in the world. She missed that feeling and wanted it back. But it was too late. Ino was right, she had fucked up. At that moment she felt two pressures on her back and leaned back to see her two children with their arms wrapped around her. She put on a fake smile and hugged them back.

"Why are you crying momma? Did that blonde lady say something mean to you?"

"No dear, I was just remembering someone from my past. A friend that I treated wrong. But don't worry about that. Let's get some lunch. How about going to Ichiraku's for ramen?"

"But daddy said we couldn't have ramen. He said that only dobe's eat ramen."

'Oh Sasuke that wasn't right. Maybe I should apologize to Naruto and Hikaru. I want to see my little boy again. But I won't tell the kids right now. I need to iron these things out myself.'

The two children, seeing their mother space out, began to wave their hands in front of her face. Once she noticed them again, she smile and stood up.

"So daddy says that ramen is for dobe's huh? Well guess what you two? Today we're going to be dobe's, at least for a little while. Mommy used to have a friend who was a dobe and he was one of the most special people she ever knew."

"Wow really mommy? Can you tell us about him?"

Sakura smiled and thought back to her childhood days. This would make the trip to Ichiraku's more pleasant.

"Of course I can. Once upon a time, there was a dobe in my class named Naruto…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino stomped through Konoha actually leaving indents in the ground. Women, children, and even full-grown men dove out of her way. She hadn't been this angry since it was revealed that Sasuke had left and nearly gotten two of her best friends killed. She was going to go home and vent but she had to pass by Naruto's estate to get there and her anger melted when she heard the sounds of battle coming from his backyard. Fearing an attack on Hikaru she bounded over the gates and ran to the corner of the house. Leaning around the corner she witnessed an astounding sight.

All around Hikaru were bunshins of Naruto while Hikaru stood in the middle with a blindfold on. Naruto and Genmaki stood off to the side while Naruto shouted out directions for Hikaru. Ino was worried for the boy until she saw him leap for one of the clones and kick it in the chest. He vaulted off the clone before it disappeared and punched another in the face. Placing his hand on its shoulder he twisted in midair and continued on until all the clones were destroyed, leaving a panting Hikaru and an amused Naruto and Genmaki. Walking forward, Naruto clapped his hand on Hikaru's shoulder and congratulated him.

"Very good son but you still have some flaws. You touched the ground on the next to last one. You know you're not supposed to touch the ground when training in this style. You're supposed to let the bodies of your enemies be a springboard onto more enemies, keeping them off balance and putting yourself on the high ground. Now let's try this again."

A sharp 'ahem' from Genmaki made Naruto turn his head and he saw some familiar blonde locks at the corner of the house. He looked down at his son and put his finger to his lips. The boy nodded and Naruto poofed behind Ino and put his hands around her waist. She squealed and struggled while Naruto tried to contain his laughter.

"Ino dammit, stop struggling. It's me. I just wanted to surprise you."

She apparently didn't hear him and kept cursing and struggling so he did the only thing he could think of to shut her up so the assault on his ears would cease. He spun her quickly and planted a kiss on her lips. Her eyes flew wide open and once she saw whom it was she closed her eyes and he could feel her smirk. Before he could even move away she had grabbed his hair in her hands and pulled him even further into the kiss while he waved his arms in dramatic fashion and tried to yank away from the lip lock. After satisfying herself she let him go and he leapt back while gasping for breath.

"Jesus Christ Ino. Have you been taking lessons from Anko on how to get a man? You don't try to suffocate him if you want him to stay around."

"Well I don't remember giving you permission to kiss me either. Nice trick by the way. I'll remember that one if you ever start rambling on me."

The sound of a throat clearing broke them out of their revelry and they both had the decency to blush when they saw the two staring at them. Genmaki looked at both of them and then a gleam came to his eyes. Naruto began to get nervous when he saw the feral grin forming on Genmaki's face. That face never bode well for him in the end.

"Lord Naruto, go inside and get cleaned up. Leave some clones to work with Master Hikaru. Lady Yamanaka, please come with me. There is something I wish to discuss with you in private."

"Genmaki…"

"Do not fear my Lord. I shall not divulge your secret, no matter how much I feel you should just tell the young lady. Hikaru continue with your practice. And as for you my Lord, you get cleaned up and dressed appropriately for an evening out."

"And why would I do that? I don't remember having any engagements this evening?"

"Because I said so. You are taking Lady Yamanaka out this evening and I don't want to hear any arguments. Dress to kill because I want to see her jaw drop when we get back. Understood? I thought so. My Lady come with me. I wish to discuss some things with you."

Naruto walked inside his house mumbling about who was the master and who was the servant, which made Ino giggle until a 'harumph' from the fox made her head turn. He jerked his head motioning for her to follow and they walked into the forest. Once suitably out of sight Genmaki turned and spoke.

"Climb on my back. We are going to your apartment. I do not want any interruptions from Lord Naruto because of his insatiable curiosity."

After they had poofed out of existence, neither heard the clone swear because his mission had failed. Damned foxes and their trickery…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once in Ino's apartment she climbed off of Genmaki's back and sat on her couch, waiting for him to speak. He cleared his throat once again (chronic throat problems is what he told her later, from yelling at Naruto and Hikaru so much, which sent her into a giggle fit) and addressed her.

"Lady Ino, may I call you Ino? Yes? Thank you. Lady Ino, I believe that you are falling in love with my Lord are you not?"

"Well I don't know about love, but yes I am very attracted to him."

"I see. I believe you are beginning to love him, even though you have known him only a short time. I want you to know that he is a very fragile person at heart. I am very loyal to Lord Naruto and if I believe that you are leading him on or intend to hurt him the way this…Sakura…did, I will not hesitate to hurt you. Do we have an understanding?"

"Of course. I would never hurt Naruto like that. I…I like him too much to do that."

"That is good. I hope that the two of you can become close. Perhaps mates even…" 

"MATES? What the hell do you mean by mates?"

"Ah forgive me. Mates to foxes are the same as spouses to you humans. I wish for the two of you to achieve this. I believe in my heart that you will be good for him. Do you know what he has gone through in three years? He has basically killed his heart. In one night you broke through that wall of resistance and he opened up to you. I want that feeling nurtured more. If you promise to try to love him, I will help you to understand him better. Agreed?"

"Agreed. But I can't try to love someone. Either I will or I won't. It's as simple as that."

"Well be that as it may. We foxes however have a different way of thinking. You do not know it yet but you do love him, just as he loves you. It is an instinct that allows you to select your mate. This Sakura was not meant to be my Lord's mate, no matter how much he wanted her to be. It was not meant to be. You two are however. I will make you a deal. You try to heal my Lord's heart and at the same time fill the hole in your own, and I will tell you how to bring down one wall of resistance. Deal?"

"Deal. But how did you know that I was lacking companionship?"

"Your smell my dear. You haven't been with a male in a long time. You lack the scent of anyone but Lord Naruto on you. As for the method of breaking his wall, I would suggest you wait until the two of you are 'dating' as you call it, to use it. You've seen his birthmarks correct, on his cheeks? Those are not birthmarks, they are actual whiskers. And they work just like mine do. Rub them in a relaxing manner and he will become relaxed. Rub them when he's aroused and he'll be putty in your hands. Rub them violently and he'll more than likely kill you in a rage. In a relaxed state his henge will drop and reveal his true look to you. Do not be afraid. I believe he will be, how do you females put it, cute?"

"So those aren't birthmarks? And they'll do all that? Heehee, I know what to do with him now. I promise I won't use that trick until after we're dating however. And I will not be put off by his true appearance. I know that Naruto is a good man. I will not be frightened or disgusted. On my honor."

"Excellent. You are an excellent choice of mate. Strong willed. You will challenge my Lord. Now go get ready for your date. Make sure you dress to kill because I want to see his jaw drop when we get back."

"Isn't that what you told Naruto?"

Genmaki just grinned evilly and began to laugh.

"Of course it is. I just want to see you two fool's faces when you look at each other. I'm sure it will be quite the spectacle."

He never saw the copy of Icha Icha aimed at his head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That date was magical. And of course Genmaki got a good laugh at their expense when they both had to scrape their jaws off he floor. His reward was a Thousand Years of Death that sent him flying. After two months Naruto and Ino acknowledged their relationship to their friends and everyone was happy for them. Naruto was finally back to his old, cheerful self and everybody was happy. The sunshine of Konoha had come again. Tsunade was the first one he went to and their conversation was filled with tears, hugs, and much joy. She had refused to acknowledge Sasuke as her successor and had flat out refused to teach him anything about the job. The first day he showed up to be taught she had threatened to break his manhood off and send it to Sakura in a paper bag if he didn't leave her office. She never saw him again, although she did hear that he had complained to the council. Not that she cared. Normally the Hokage chooses their successor, but in this case the council had deemed Naruto unfit to serve. He was good enough to die for the village as a ninja, but not good enough to live for it as a Hokage.

He chuckled when he heard about how furious Gaara was and decided that he needed to check up on his old friend. His trip to Suna was short and he was surprised that even on the streets he was heralded as a hero. Gaara was very fond of him and the Kazekage considered him a brother, which brought his respect to the citizens of Suna to an all time high. His conversation with him was heartfelt and Gaara was infinitely sorry about all that had happened to him. To both of their delights, Hikaru and Gaara's daughter hit it off spectacularly. Gaara jokingly suggested a political marriage to which Naruto responded with a Hell No. If the two fell in love, that was one thing. Forced love was another. His trip to Suna ended all too soon and he was now back in Konoha.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Their date had gone great and they were now back at Naruto's house. Genmaki had taken Hikaru on a camping trip to get him out of the house so Ino and Naruto could have some privacy. They were sitting on the couch making out when Ino remembered Genmaki's advice about their relationship. They were now four months into their confirmed relationship, making them together for a little over six months. She grinned in their kiss and pushed away from him. He gave her a confused look and she just smirked.

"Lie down on the floor. I'm gonna give you a massage."

He looked at her quizzically and shrugged. If she wanted to give him a massage, hey, who was he to complain? Besides it sounded really good. He laid down on the floor and was surprised when she raised his head and placed it in her lap. He looked up at her and raised his eyebrow.

"Since when does a massage go like this?"

"Since I'm giving it. Now shut up and enjoy Mr. Icha Icha."

With that she told him to close his eyes and relax. Not a hard thing to do when she began rubbing his chest causing him to moan. She grinned and told him to sit up and take off his shirt. Once the deed was done she went back to work. She ran her hands everywhere, appreciating his musculature and flawlessly unscarred body. Slowly she worked her way up his neck until she was sure that he didn't notice that her hands were on his cheeks. She began to stroke the whisker marks slowly and heard a weird noise. Listening more carefully, she soon discovered it was him _purring._ 'Oh this is too cute.' She thought. Continuing with her ministrations, she soon noticed the air around him beginning to waver. 'Here it comes.' Suddenly the henge dropped and his ears disappeared to be replaced with red fox ears and nine tails swirling underneath him. The smile on his face never disappeared as he was too far gone into the pleasure to notice.

Ino gaped at the tails and ears but remembered her promise not to judge his appearance. She kept stroking his cheeks and took in his new look. His hair was longer than usual and had red streaks at the end. His fangs and claws were more pronounced and overall he gave off an erotic, exotic aura. His purring had not ceased and his tails were wagging around. One of them was knocking against her leg in a happy wag, and she struggled hard not to giggle. She wasn't frightened by his appearance; she cared too much about him to be scared. Hell, to her he looked even more adorable than before and…oh what the hell, she had what she thought was the hottest guy around. And he was all hers. Not thinking, she took one hand off his cheeks, causing him to nuzzle into her other hand more, and began scratching his ears. She couldn't stifle the giggle when the tails thumped harder and his leg began to shake in a decidedly canine fashion. His smile grew larger and larger until she couldn't contain it anymore and laughed joyfully out loud. This brought him out of his stupor and he looked up at her lovingly until he saw the tails out of the corner of his peripheral vision. His hands shot to his mouth and he felt the fangs and the claws, which then moved to his ears. She stared at him confusedly and wondered why he was reacting this way until he looked up woefully at her. She felt her heartstrings tug and realized that he thought she would hate him. Before he could do anything she leant down and kissed him with as much passion as she could to let him know it was ok.

After he calmed down and began to kiss her back she sat back up and resumed scratching his ears. They remained silent for a while until he couldn't bear it anymore.

"So you're not freaked out by this? How can you not be?"

"Because…because I love you. And I promised Genmaki that I would love you unconditionally even if you looked different."

"He told you? Grrrr….that little asshole…"

"No Naruto, he didn't tell me. I found out on my own. In fact I love the way you look right now. You're very…exotic and hot."

This brought back his cockiness and the smirk on his face threatened to break it in two.

"Oh you think so do you?"

Her smirk was equally as big and she waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Yeah I do. Now are you gonna show me if those tails do more than wag or am I gonna hafta do everything tonight?"


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you all for all the reviews. Its so nice to be appreciated. I now have over 6000 hits and I've only had this up for a few days. Nice. Hope you guys like where this is headed and remember, love conquers all, even demonic love. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, any songs in the fic, or the internet.

CHAPTER FIVE 

Ino awoke the next morning feeling great. She didn't know why but she just had the feeling that she was being protected and whatever was wrapped around her was very warm and fuzzy. Upon realizing that thought she blinked her eyes and began to move around. She looked down and realized first off she was only in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of boxers that weren't hers. Looking around, she found the reason for her contentment and gave a happy sigh. Laying beside her was a fox in human form. His nine tails wrapped around her keeping out the chill and his ears twitching in his sleep. Unknowingly she began to stroke one of the tails and was delighted to see it thump against her leg. She was startled when she heard a pleasant moan come from the body beside her, but that brashness of hers made her keep going. After all, messing with Naruto was too much fun. Not wanting him to have any accidents, she stopped her ministrations and unwound herself from her fuzzy prison reluctantly. Stretching she began to take in the sights.

Naruto's bedroom was a sight to behold. Weapons decorated the walls and suits of samurai armor stood along the wall across from the bed. A fireplace stood on the opposite end with two leather armchairs in front of it. The room was huge, almost the size of her whole apartment. She loved it and hoped to see more of it in the future. During her tour of the house last night, she had noticed that while the house as a whole was charming and cozy, it needed a woman's touch. Naruto and Hikaru were the epitome of bachelors, only having the bare necessity of items and pleasantries. This would have to change. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a desk with a notebook opened on top. Curiosity getting the better of her she sauntered over and flopped into the chair and began to read.

After several minutes she put the notebook back where it should have been and readjusted the pages. Putting her hands to her cheeks she realized that they were on fire from blushing. Naruto was writing an Icha Icha book where she was the star. Hell, he'd barely even changed the name. She was somewhere between turned on and pissed when she felt a pressure on her back and something soft and furry stroke her cheeks. Leaning back she saw a wide-awake Naruto with a huge smile on his face.

"So you've been reading my work without permission? Tsk, tsk Ino. I thought you knew better. But seeing as how you've read it now, what do you think? Am I worthy of being the writer of Icha Icha or what?"

Ino looked back down at the notebook and began to think. He was a great writer, that was for damn sure. And being immortalized in a book sounded really great. But, on the other hand, she was going to be in his dirty little book, and everyone knew about their relationship. She couldn't be seen in that light. Her parents would kill her first and him second, after they got through trying some of the things he wrote. She was brought out of her musings by a tickling, warm feeling and looked down to see he had his tails woven around her. She giggled and stroked them before looking back up at his face.

"I like it. But you ever write about the things we did last night and I swear I'll have a new fur wrap for my shoulders. Got it?"

The sugary, sweet way it was said did nothing to help the dark undertones of what she was saying. With a gulp, Naruto just nodded his head yes. Seeing her smile in victory (she was getting way too many wins for his taste) he decided to have the life changing conversation he'd put off since last night. He would have done it yesterday but a certain blonde had latched herself onto him and, well, luckily Hikaru wasn't around to see the collateral damage. Ino smiled in spite of herself. Who knew that tails were so useful or that fox ears were apparently so…sensitive? She'd had him at her beck and call and all she'd done was scratch his ears. Her thoughts were broken when she heard Naruto sigh.

"Come into the living room Ino. I'll make some tea and we can…discuss why I look like I do and where we go from here."

She nodded dumbly and made her way to her favorite couch. Picking up a blanket and spreading it over her legs she propped herself up on some pillows and waited. Soon enough Naruto reappeared carrying a tray of tea and some cookies and set them on the small table in front of her. He poured her a cup and handed it off, settling into the cushion beside her. She took a sip of tea and sighed, Naruto was an excellent cook and he always made the best tea. Cutting her eyes sideways, she saw him sitting there with a far off look. Before she could ask what's wrong, he cleared his throat.

"Ino, did you mean it last night, when you said you loved me?"

"Um, yes. I do. It's taken me a while to realize it, but I believe I do."

"Do you accept me as I am? Would you hate me if I am something I don't appear to be? I'm…I'm not everything you see on the surface Ino. There's more. And I don't know how you'll take it. But for us to have anything after today, I'm going to tell you everything."

"Then tell me everything. I'm pretty sure that there's nothing you can tell me that would make me hate you Naruto. Besides you look pretty cute as a fox boy and I wouldn't change that for the world."

"Yeah that's funny. We'll see if your tune changes or not. God, I hope not. Truth be told Ino, I'm starting to fall in love with you. I can't help it. There's something about you that makes me feel safe and wanted, like you'll accept me for me. All I ask is that you don't ask me any question while I talk. This is difficult for me and I want to be able to tell it my way."

"Now I know that you know of the Kyuubi and how it was sealed into me. You know of my childhood and how I grew up. You know of how we defeated the Akatsuki. You know that I am the Toad Sennin. You know the I am Uzumaki Naruto, the son of the Yondaime Hokage. You know of my failed marriage to Sakura and my shattered dream of being Hokage. What you don't know is that there are reasons for it all. Some I know, some I don't. I know why the Kyuubi was sealed into me, but I don't know his reason for attacking the village. Every time I spoke to him he was a complete asshole. I hated him, but he kept me alive all these years so I can't really complain. I know we defeated the Akatsuki but I don't know why they wanted all the Bijuu except to rule the world. I am the Toad Sennin but I don't feel I deserve the title and I won't be able to keep it long anyway. I am the son of the Yondaime, but I have never been a son to anyone. I am a father, and yet at times I feel I have failed my son because of what his mother did. I don't know why she left, but I know it was not because of my appearance now. She doesn't know about this, no one knows but you and Hikaru. Tsunade doesn't even know."

"I didn't change until after Sakura left. It's…complicated, but you deserve to know. The day after she left, I was trying to comfort Hikaru when a small pillar of flame burst next to me. I didn't know what was going on so I leapt to my feet and put my back to the wall. Out of the flame stepped a small black fox with an ethereal glow about him. He looked around the room and then looked at me. He raised his head and then bowed low. He called me Lord Kyuubi. I didn't know what to think and demanded to know what he meant. He informed me that the old Kyuubi was soon to be dead, totally integrated into my system and that made me the holder of the title Kyuubi. I was dumbfounded to say the least."

"He kept on with his explanation that since I used most of my power to keep the old Kyuubi at bay that I had the power base of two nine tailed bijuu. I was, in essence, a god among men. Imagine Ino, losing your wife one day and then finding that you are now considered the commander of a vulpine army, a legion totally loyal to you. But there was one problem, he said. I was still human. To attain my power I would have to completely absorb the old Kyuubi and take my rightful place as a demon king. I couldn't believe what he was asking me to do. Become a demon? That's what I had strove to prove I wasn't my whole life. But the more I thought about it, the more I didn't care. Why risk my life for people who didn't care for me, when I could accept this power and keep my son safe? I could accept this power and rule a new people, as a king, not just a Hokage. At the time I still didn't know that being Hokage was inaccessible to me, but I thought I could have the best of both worlds. Childish, yes, but who in history could claim to be a demon and the Kage of Konohagakure?"

"I agreed to this fusion of sorts and the fox began to chant. I became lost in his words and felt my mind collapse in on itself. Everything became a blur and I found myself in front of the cage of the Kyuubi one last time. It thrashed and cursed me, but I paid it no mind. The closer I got to the gate the more frantic it became until it was foaming at the mouth. I simply took hold of the small paper that said 'seal' and whispered "Kai." Ripping the paper off the gates flew open and I was pushed back into a wall across the room. I watched in horror as the voice of that black fox bounced off every wall and the Kyuubi howled in anger. The last thing I remember it saying before all of its essence was sucked into me was that it was betrayed by its own people. While saddened by any betrayal I couldn't feel too sorry for it since it ruined my life and showed no remorse because of it."

"Once I snapped out of my own mindscape, I saw Hikaru standing across the room, looking at me with curiosity and fear. I stepped forward and called out to him, and when he heard my voice he launched himself into my arms and began to cry. I soothed him as much as I could, until I felt a foreign furriness wrap around us both. Looking around I saw that I had nine red tails whipping around me. Snatching my son off the ground I ran into the bathroom and frantically looked in the mirror. My human ears were gone and my fangs were longer. Red ears sat atop my head and the tails whipped about, mirroring my confusion and horror. Suddenly I felt a weight on one and looked down to see it tickling Hikaru and making him laugh while he played with it. Oh, the mind of a child, to be able to see the good in such a thing. It warmed my heart and in the back of my mind, I felt happy, since my son loved how I looked now. It made me 'cuddly' he said and I couldn't deny him his logic. Walking back into the living room I saw the black fox sitting on its haunches, waiting for my inevitable questions."

"I carried my son with me and sat in my chair with him on my lap. I asked why I was bestowed with such an honor when I was a human, why was I the new Kyuubi? The answer was that I was noble and pure, I had suffered and I had endured, and that only one who could defeat the old Kyuubi was worthy of being the leader of the vulpine. I took that in and suddenly I was bombarded with memories that were not mine. Visions of a golden throne and foxes running everywhere swept across my mind. The foxes were afraid of me and I was a terrible, powerful being. Asking what the visions meant, I was given the explanation that by absorbing the old Kyuubi I must have taken more than power, I took his knowledge. Fearing for my son's life if I inherited his bloodlust as well, the black fox sighed, guessing what I was thinking by the look in my eyes, and told me that only memories and power were absorbed. Not traits and characteristics. I asked why I appeared as I did and was told that he didn't know. Perhaps it was because I was the first human turned demon, or because I subconsciously wanted to retain a part of my humanity."

"I took all this in and filed it away. I felt Hikaru playing with my tails again and smiled. I asked what would become of my son and was told that he was human. He would never be demon. I sighed in relief and asked if he carried over any of the old Kyuubi's traits since he had whiskers. The black fox smiled and told me that I had awakened a new bloodline, one of power and fortitude. My descendants would be powerful at young ages and they would be nearly invincible in battle due to a heightened regenerative state. I smiled even wider knowing that out of all my turmoil, my son had a great gift, and this was enough to ease my troubled heart slightly. Having all my troublesome questions about my and my son's well being answered, I turned to my new 'advisor' and asked what the vulpine would need of me."

"My answer was that I would need to find a mate. One who was strong and beautiful and could help me in my days as ruler. I was to come to the realm of demons and rule wisely and with kindness. The old Kyuubi was a tyrant and they felt no loss in losing him. All they required was that I use my gifts as Uzumaki Naruto to make the vulpine the greatest of all demon clans. I agreed wholeheartedly until I remembered the remark about a mate and I became crestfallen. Nobody would love a demon and I knew this from the bottom of my heart. I asked what would happen if I didn't find a mate and was told that I would be removed from power and killed. I needed a mate so that a lineage could be established. Hikaru was a human and no matter how powerful he was, he was not immortal as I was now. This amazed me. I'm immortal. How then was I supposed to find a mate that would live as long as I? The black fox smiled and said that my mate would receive my mark and a measure of my power and immortality. She would be more powerful than the strongest Kage and her kits would be great and wonderful. But how was I to find such a woman when the one I loved with all my heart had just walked out on me? I was twenty when Sakura left me. The black fox said I had five years to find a mate or I would be removed from power. I nodded my head in understanding and the realized I hadn't asked his name. He smiled and told me his name was…"

"Genmaki. Hello to the both of you, Lord Naruto, Lady Ino. We have returned from our trip."

Hikaru bounded across the floor and leapt into Naruto's arms and gave him a hug. Naruto returned it with some of his tails, which sent Hikaru into a giggle fit. Ino smiled at the heartwarming scene until she remembered their conversation and went wide eyed at the implications. In a small voice she called out to Naruto, halting his and Hikaru's tickle fight.

"Naruto, are you saying that you need a mate or you'll die?"

"Yes that's what I'm saying. I have a little over one year left before the vulpine council of elders comes to view my mate. Genmaki here believes that you would be a most wonderful vixen and so do I."

"Oh a vixen am I? I thought I was your girlfriend and here I am just another vixen?"

"Now Ino don't be childish. This is serious. You've just found out my biggest secret. I'm a demon with a human child. I'm a ruler of a vast legion of foxes from another realm. I _am_ Kyuubi now. Aren't you frightened?"

"Why would I be frightened of my love? You've never been a demon to me, in mind or deed. Just because you physically are one doesn't mean you are in your heart. You'll always be Naruto to me. I love you for you. You treat me better than any man ever could and you're a wonderful father. And after hearing your story, I've made up my mind."

Fearfully Naruto asked what decision she had made.

"I'm yours now and forever. Consider me your new queen, oh mighty king of Bijuus. Now the only question is where to put that mark? Oh I know."

Naruto, in his bliss, leaned in wondering where she wanted his mark to be put. Genmaki detected the teasing lilt in her voice however and readied himself for Naruto's downfall.

"You can just put it on my ass, since you seem to like kissing it so much."

Naruto just sat there with a stunned look on his face while Genmaki and Hikaru died laughing at the stupid look on his face. Ino covered her mouth so she wouldn't giggle but the dumbfounded look on his face was too much and she laughed long and hard. Naruto broke out of his gaze and fixed them all with a glare, before a low growl caught in his throat making them all stop. His teeth swept back in a sneer and his fangs were bared, his ears thrown back in anger, and his tails whipped around in a frenzy. They all gulped thinking they had sent him over the edge when suddenly the sneer turned into a frighteningly familiar smirk.

"So you make fun of the mighty king of the foxes eh? Not the brightest mortals around are you? And you, my faithful retainer, I thought you had more common sense. Prepare yourselves for my wrath."

Ino stood there stupidly, but Hikaru and Genmaki yelped and tried to make it to the door. They knew what his wrath meant and tried to get away. Suddenly a tail encircled them both and brought them back into the center of the room. Ino found herself laying on her back beside Hikaru and Genmaki who were desperately trying to get loose. Naruto stood over them all and then leant forward and crawled over the top of Ino who began to breathe heavy under his intense glare.

"Now comes your punishment you three. You brought this on yourselves remember."

Hikaru and Genmaki began to squeal and yelp and Ino turned her head to each side to see them being tickled mercilessly by the remaining six tails. She suddenly felt her head jerked back forward to be brought under the gaze of a severely smirking Naruto.

"And as for you my queen…"

Her eyes jerked wide when instead of being punished she felt herself being kissed deeply by her lover and new king. Sighing, into the kiss, she threw her arms around her neck and never heard the noise levels beside her drop as Naruto lost concentration and began to kiss her with more desire. The only thing that brought them out of their revelry was an 'eewww' from Hikaru and a throat clearing sound from Genmaki. Grinning sheepishly, they both made their way to their feet and blushed a bright red. Neither Hikaru or Genmaki minded really, but there were other pressing matters than seeing who had the strongest tongue.

"Now then that the young ones have their hormones under control, we can continue. Lady Ino are you certain that you love Lord Naruto with all your heart? Will you stand beside him through the years? Can you leave your humanity and mortality behind for a lifetime of servitude to your new king and mate?"

"I am sure. I love him and I want to be…happy. He can make me happy and if giving up my humanity is what brings happiness then so be it. But what will happen to me when I'm made his mate?"

"Hikaru leave the room and do not eavesdrop. I must speak with them alone. Now that the boy is gone I must tell you some things. I do not know how this will affect you. You will be only the second human to become a demon and I don't know what will happen to you physically. On a mental and spiritual level you will be able to feel how your mate feels and you will feel a deepening of love for him. You will be able to communicate with each other telepathically due to your bond and this will be of great importance should either of you ever be in trouble. I don't know anything else."

"Will the mark hurt? Where will it be?"

"Well unfortunately, no matter how funny it might have been, it won't be on your ass. That would be awkward for both of you seeing as Lord Naruto has to bite you for it to take form. The neck is the easiest place since you have to bite him as well once your transformation is complete to seal the deal. Now get hopping you two. I'm sure Hikaru wants to play with his new mother."

"New mother? But we're not married yet. I can't be his mother."

"Oh please. You will be mated on a level more deep than a mere marriage by law. And you have been more of a mother in six months to that boy than that Sakura was his whole life. Now bite her Lord Naruto."

Naruto stepped forward and gripped Ino by the shoulders. She was afraid but when Naruto uttered 'I Love You' in her ear all her fears went away. Baring his fangs he bit into her neck at the base where her shoulder met and she shivered with delight. Instead of pain, she felt…warmth, love, and…desire. Naruto stepped back to watch his handiwork and was astounded to see what was happening. Ino stood bathed in a white light and she curled up on the floor with a whimper. Naruto went to move to her but was stopped by Genmaki shaking his head. After a few more moments the light faded and there on the floor lay Ino, transformed. Her human ears were gone and were replaced by purple ears on top of her head that wiggled back and forth, catching sound. Her one tail waved behind her and when Naruto knelt to pick her up it entwined with one of his. He smiled at this and lifted her lips up to see the enlarged fangs. To him, she was absolute beauty, magnified a million times. Setting her on the couch, he put her head in his lap and stroked her ears, earning him a contented purr.

Genmaki smiled at the scene and his heart was lifted. Here before him was his new king and queen and he couldn't be happier. They would rule with fairness and surely the vulpine would prosper. He walked back over to the door and let Hikaru back in. The little boy was astounded to see that Ino had a tail and ears like his daddy and nearly squealed with delight when he went to grab it and it slapped him playfully. Ino felt someone stroking her ears and tail and woke with a contented sigh. She looked up into Naruto's face and smiled. She felt great, powerful, and she could hear, see, and smell everything with a clarity never known to her. Sitting upright she moved into the bedroom and stood in front of Naruto's full length mirror. She admired her royal purple tail and ears and pulled at her lips to see her new fangs. She smiled and thought 'Damn, I look drop dead gorgeous. He'll have a harder time saying no to me now.' This thought made her giggle and she walked back into the living room and plopped down between Naruto and Hikaru.

"So, what do you think Ino? Are you happy with your new look and power?"

"Oh yes. But I feel we're forgetting something."

"You are. You must bite him now. Complete the union. Obtain your rightful place as queen, my Lady."

Ino leaned over and jerked Naruto's head down by the hair. She whispered in his ear.

"If it felt orgasmic to me as a human, imagine how it's going to feel to a demon."

His eyes bugged at this and before he could protest to a change of location, she launched herself at his neck and bit as hard as she could. The flood of emotions he felt was nothing compared to the overwhelming sense of desire and need for her at the moment. She released her hold on his hair and they both watched in fascination as a fox head shaped seal appeared on both their necks at the junction where they were bitten. Naruto shuddered at her touch and pulled back quickly lest he do something in front of Hikaru he might regret. They both turned and saw Hikaru and Genmaki bowed low on the floor.

"My King and my Queen. As the first of the vulpine to acknowledge you, let it be my pleasure to inform the council of your decision. They had high hopes for you and I'm sure your choice of mate will meet more than their approval but the approval of all vulpine. Lady Ino, you are the first to ever have royal purple fur, a color most befitting a queen. I shall return shortly. You three enjoy your new found family."

Ino smiled at this and turned to Hikaru, who raised his head and met her gaze.

"Well, are you going to just sit there or are you going to give your mother a hug, son?"

With tears in his eyes, Hikaru launched himself at Ino and wrapped his arms around her neck, sobbing happily. She held him close and wrapped her tail around him. Suddenly she felt a familiar pressure and saw that Naruto had joined in and wrapped his tails around them all, bringing them close officially as a family. Ino looked up and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him in for yet another kiss. She smiled into it and a tear escaped her eye.

'I have all of eternity to spend with my mate. May this feeling of love never end.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Genmaki appeared shortly and informed them that the council was overjoyed and that seeing as how they had given him five years to find a mate that letting the new family have a year to themselves was not such a bad thing. Everyone was happy and a feeling of bliss overran them all. Hikaru finally had a mother again and Naruto and Ino had someone to love. Alas, the feeling of security cannot last forever and even though one group accepts you wholeheartedly doesn't mean everyone else will. Later that night while lying in their bed (after an army of clones had moved all of Ino's belongings from her apartment to her new home) Ino sighed after another round of demonic lovemaking. While no different than any human's, the sheer stamina they possessed made it so that the unthinkable was possible. Once they had collapsed back onto the pillows and Ino made herself comfortable on her favorite pillow (Naruto's chest) she sighed contentedly and intertwined their tales once again. Suddenly a feeling of apprehension overtook her and she looked up fearfully at Naruto. Sensing her discomfort, he put his arm around her and drew her in closer, asking what was wrong.

"We've forgotten one critical thing now Naruto. While I'm happy for us both, we have a difficult task ahead of us."

"Yeah I know. We have a whole legion to rule and an empire to raise. Not to mention raising Hikaru and starting a family all to ourselves. Ugh, if I'd known what being king meant…"

"No Naruto. That's all important too, but this has me afraid for real."

"What is it?"

"We have to talk to our parents and tell them what happened. Then we have to tell everyone else since we'll be around less."

"Ok we'll talk to your parents and everybody else, but mine are dead remember? I don't have anyone to report to."

"Oh yes you do. Your mother and father will be very interested to see you've become a demon and are mated to me, another demon."

"And who are my mother and father praytell?"

"Tsunade and Iruka."

Not even a cricket chirp was heard for several moments as the bedroom was filled with a sickening silence. Suddenly it broke when Naruto's small voice bounced off every wall.

"Oh shit…"


	6. Chapter 6

Some have said that I'm moving the story along too fast or that I'm not giving enough detail. Come on folks, are you that hard to please? I've cranked out almost thirty thousand words in less than a week and I'm going to fast? Tsk, tsk. Besides the timeframe being too fast, my explanations for goings on are simple, just like Naruto makes them. Remember he's a simpleton at heart and always simplifies everything. I'm just shy of ten thousand hits and have only been at this a week. Is that average? Let me know what you guys think. I hope I'm being original enough for you. Stop by my bio page and check it out. For all the faithful readers, thank you. And all reviewers a big shoutout. Peace.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any songs in this fic. I do own a computer though and with it I am a literary god.

CHAPTER SIX

'Ok, I can do this, I can do this…I can't do this.'

"Naruto stop fidgeting. Your tails keep hitting me and it's getting annoying. Look, all we gotta do is tell my parents and Iruka-sensei and Tsunade-sama that we're demons now and rulers of a vast kingdom. It'll be easy."

Naruto just stared at her like she'd grown another head. After much whining, he had finally fallen asleep last night only for reality to hit him like a sledgehammer to the nuts the next morning. He had found a mate and he couldn't be happier, but now he had to inform Tsunade that he wouldn't be around much after the coming year. He'd have to go to his new domain and make decisions and alliances, fight for his people, basically be responsible for everything. The mere thought hurt his head and he began to whine piteously again until Ino whacked him over the head with his notebook that she had been reading _again._ Seriously, who would have thought his mate would have been into naughty stories? The sound of the door flying open brought both of them out of their stupors and Ino quickly hid the offending notebook from Hikaru's eyes. The blonde and pink haired boy bounded across the floor and spring boarded onto the bed, landing in between his father and his new mother, snuggling their tails. The feeling of affection from the nuzzling of her tail brought out motherly instincts in Ino and she grabbed the boy and sat him on her lap, hugging him.

"Well good morning sunshine. How was your night?"

"It was good Miss Ino. I always sleep good when Genmaki is around."

"That's good. And what did I tell you about calling me Miss Ino? You can call me mom ok?"

"Ok…mom."

"There, that's better. Now then Naruto, we're going and that's final. We're doing it today because daddy doesn't have any missions and mom's not working the flower shop. Iruka can find a substitute and I'm pretty sure Tsunade will cancel any appointments she has to hear this."

"We're going to see grandma? Yay! I love visiting grandma, she always gets me snacks and presents. And she beats up daddy and they're always funny."

Ino cocked an eyebrow and looked at Naruto, who rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Heh, she says I have no respect for authority and she wants her grandson to grow up respectful. I don't know what she's talking about though. I'm respectful right?"

Silence greeted him as all parties present (Genmaki had come in after Hikaru and sat at the end of the bed) just gave him incredulous looks.

"Right? Oh come on. I'm not that bad. And besides that, now I am authority."

"That doesn't mean you aren't disrespectful sweetie. In fact, I'd say that you deserve more punishment than Tsunade-sama gives you. She's pretty lenient with you, you know."

"Yeah, well…you've never been hit by her either…"

"Touché. But I don't think it hurts as bad as you say it does, you big baby. Tell you what, next time she hits you I'll kiss it better. How's that sound?"

Hikaru, of course, made an 'eeewww' noise at the notion of kissing that earned him a bonk on the top of his head from his mother. He pouted and crossed his arms, causing Ino to giggle and kiss the top of his head.

"Now, now Hikaru, don't be such a baby. It doesn't become you. Go get dressed, we're leaving soon."

As soon as the boy was out the door, Genmaki stepped forward for any orders. Naruto finally noticed him and gave him a small smile.

"Genmaki, I think it's time to retrieve the scroll. We've been dormant as a race for too long. It's time we joined the world of summons. And there are three people who will sign right off the bat."

Genmaki started to bow low but Naruto leapt off the bed and stopped him by grabbing his head and turning his face back up. Confusion swept over the fox's face until Naruto gave his reason.

"Genmaki, never bow to me again. I may be king but I have always been a humble person. You have been my most trusted friend and advisor these past three years. I consider you my equal and a dear friend. Never bow in front of me. Stand beside me as I rule."

Genmaki looked at his ruler with awe. The old Kyuubi had instilled a sense of fear and respect for power during his rule. If you disobeyed or disrespected you died. But now here he was being told that he was seen as an equal and important part of the court. Tears of joy sprang to his eyes and he laughed in happiness.

"Lord Naruto, you have no idea how happy I am that you are king. Truly we will prosper under you and Lady Ino. I will honor your wishes and I shall never bow before you but I shall always revere you…my friend."

His reward was a genuine smile from Naruto and a rub between the ears. While the two males were enjoying their bonding experience, Ino sat on the bed and watched with pride. This is what made her mate so special. He could befriend anyone, make anyone feel special, make something from nothing. He had that one intangible that made him a good ruler and even greater friend: kindness. Seeing that the two weren't moving and she really wanted to get this over with, she coughed into her hand until they noticed her. With a nod of his head, Genmaki disappeared to retrieve the fox summoning scroll. Naruto stood and stretched, gaining an appreciative eye from Ino. Noticing her eyeing him up he sauntered over to her side of the bed and leaned in like he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and waited until she felt his hand envelop her face, scrunching her cheeks into a pucker. Opening her eyes, she saw a playgul grin and even more playful glint in his eyes.

"I think you had enough last night, princess. Now get dressed and we'll do this while my nerve is up."

She stood and made towards the closet while Naruto straightened the covers back out. While fluffing the pillows he found himself wondering what he was forgetting. Suddenly, it came to him.

"Ino, didn't you hide my notebook under your pillow?"

A reply of 'Yeah' came from the deep recesses of the closet. Then a 'why?'

"Well I can't find it and if you don't have it then…"

"HIKARU!!!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The procession of the Uzumakis down the streets of Konoha was a spectacle to behold. They turned heads everywhere even though they weren't trying to. It's just when you see three people and a fox, laughing and enjoying the day like a family, it's a little…unsettling. Not to mention that they all looked…regal. The two adults had an almost ethereal glow about them and warmth was emanating from them. The small boy, riding on the back of a great dane sized fox, was laughing happily. But what stunned most, aside from their attitudes, was the clothing all were wearing.

Naruto, much to the delight of women and chagrin of men, was decked out in clothes befitting a man of status. His black slacks were immaculate and fell over his polished leather boots. His shirt of orange silk (still hasn't given up on that ridiculous color) had black flames licking a line across his chest. His battle coat flowed majestically behind him and gave him an aura of power. The hitai-ate of the Toad Sennin adorned his brow and his smile exuded happiness and his eyes shone with power.

His mate walking beside him was the object of much envy and hatred. The women were all still jealous of her for stealing Naruto from bachelorhood, giving them little to no chance to have him, since he seemed so happy with her. The streets were almost flooding with drool from the males of Konoha as she passed by, hanging on the arm of her king. Instead of her normal black shirt and skirt she had opted to…spice things up a little with color. Digging as far into her wardrobe as possible, she had come out with a blood red skirt, a black shirt emblazoned with a gold stitched fox and her shoes were the heeled sandals with fishnet leggings. Her birthday present from Naruto was proudly on display; a royal purple battle coat, fitted to her size, with the kanji for 'Queen' on the back. Her hair pulled back into the familiar ponytail with a diamond scrunchie (nobody could accuse Naruto of being cheap when it came to his mate) and her hitai-ate around her waist. They made quite the pair.

Hikaru was perhaps the most normally dressed out of the three even though he too was dressed for success. Decked out in khaki slacks with black sandals and a black button up shirt with the Konoha Leaf symbol in silver thread on the back; he was a very sharply dressed little boy. Genmaki merely plodded along, seemingly oblivious to all the stares they were getting. On the inside he was swearing about having to lug around a heavy Hikaru and wishing they could have just teleported to the Hokage office. But noooo, Ino wanted to show off her new family and insisted on walking through town. Curse his loyalty to his master…oh thank the stars, they were finally there.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto breathed deep before opening the door to Tsunade's office. This was the final plunge, letting everyone dear to him in on his secret. Although now it was more than just his secret, Ino was at risk too. There she sat in all her glory; head on the table, drool coming from her mouth, and her breasts starting to pop slightly out of her top. Ino immediately clapped her hand over Hikaru's eyes lest he see his grandmother's 'goodies'. Naruto was torn between waking her up (an immediate death sentence in Konoha) and leaving and coming back later. Suddenly he heard a low chuckle from one of the high back chairs in front of her desk. Slipping quietly up behind it he peered over the back and saw Jiraiya, his former master, giggling perversely and making notes in his infamous notebook. A wry smile crossed Naruto's face. At least he wouldn't have to look all over for the hermit. Two birds, one stone, and he even got to see the old man put through the wall. Good times. Crossing his arms on the back of the chair, he spoke in a voice loud enough to wake Tsunade.

"You know, Ero-Sennin, I thought I was the author of the books now. Your research really is nothing more than pervertedness."

Tsunade immediately shot up and glared at the Toad Hermit, who began to whimper in fear at his punishment. An arm shot out, a cry rang out, and Jiraiya was embedded in the wall across the room while Tsunade tried to calm herself down. Now standing her shirt had loosened even more and her ta-tas were spilling out. Ino had to speak up since Naruto's tongue was sufficiently tied (not that it was possible to speak with all the blood rushing to his face).

"Tsunade-sama!!! Please cover yourself!"

Tsunade looked down and saw that her girls were bouncing freely and flushed redder than Ino's skirt. Hooking them back into the shirt and straightening herself out, she gave Naruto the evil eye.

"What the hell are you gawking at brat?"

Seeing she wasn't going to get an answer from her stunned son, she turned to Ino and gave an apologetic grin. Finally shaking herself of her blush, she saw Hikaru in Ino's grasp with his eyes covered. She smiled seeing her grandson and opened her arms.

"What are you waiting for sweetie? Come give your grandma a hug."

Hikaru broke from Ino's grip and ran to Tsunade who picked him up and enveloped him in a bone crushing hug. It had been a long time since she had seen him except in passing and she missed the little boy's bright smile. She sighed in contentment. He was so much like his father when he was younger and wasn't burdened with so much responsibility. She turned back to see Ino, and raised her eyebrow at the kunoichi's attire. If she didn't know better she was imitating Naruto and looking damn good doing it. Hearing a groan behind her she hazarded a glance to see Naruto peeling Jiraiya off the wall and helping him back into a chair. Noticing everything was as it should be, she motioned for Naruto and Ino to have a seat while she held Hikaru in her lap.

"All right now that the gang's all here, what gives me the honor of seeing you, besides a long overdue visit from my grandson?"

Naruto took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was gonna be hard. A squeeze on his hand let him know that Ino was right beside him. Giving her a weak smile, he turned his attention back to Tsunade.

"Baa-chan, I have a secret to tell you. But not only you, I need to tell those closest to me. Ero-Sennin's already here, so that just leaves Iruka-sensei and Shizune-nee-chan. I'd like you to call Ino's parents too, since she's involved in this. I won't say a word until they all get here."

"What about Kakashi? Sakura and Sasuke? Don't you want them here too?"

Naruto's face darkened and Ino could feel a cold chill at the mention of those names. She was finding out first hand just how powerful the link between them was. She sent a mental soothing to him and saw him visibly relax.

"Tsunade…my two ex-teammates are definitely out of the question. You know that. As for Kakashi, I don't want him here either. I tried to be forgiving in the past but the more I think about how he treated me while training me, the more upset and angry I get. True he showed me the secret behind shadow clones but beyond that and tree climbing I learned jack shit from him. I haven't spoken to him in years and he's made no effort to speak to me at all. I'm through with him."

Tsunade frowned at this but understood. Naruto had tried to forgive and forget but it takes two to tango and Kakashi wasn't dancing to the same tune. He showed little to no remorse to blatantly favoring Sasuke in the past and even now could be seen hanging out aroung the future Hokage. She cringed at this thought and her chakra flared just a little but she snapped out of it when Hikaru pulled one of her pigtails, getting her attention.

"Yes little one? What is it?"

"Grandma, you need to get momma's parents and Iruka-sensei in here soon. Daddy has a big secret and it'll make you laugh."

"Momma's parents? Do you mean Sa…"

"NO! He means Ino's. That'll be explained to. Call Shizune and have her fetch them, then come in here herself. I'll put up a sound barrier."

While Shizune was playing messenger girl, Naruto was busy putting up a sound barrier, Ino was chatting with Tsunade about her relationship with Naruto, and Jiraiya was playing with Hikaru while Genmaki watched with a disapproving eye. He liked Jiraiya well enough, it was just that the man's idea of fun was trying to convince Hikaru to yank Tsunade's top off. Hikaru adamantly refused saying he didn't want to see 'old lady boobies' and sent Jiraiya into peals of laughter (earning him another trip into the plaster). Finally after what seemed like eternity, everyone was gathered and chairs were offered. Naruto and Ino declined theirs and stood side-by-side, holding hands. After greeting Ino's parents (he was on really good terms with them and they adored Hikaru, not having any grandchildren of their own…yet. They hoped Naruto could remedy that.) he coughed to get attention and began his story.

"Ok so you all know about the Kyuubi. Well, I'm here to tell you the rest of that story…"

"And that's how I became a demon. So any questions?"

Voices were immediately thrown everywhere. Persistent questions milling in the air until a very loud shout from Tsunade silenced everyone. She glared at them all and noticed that when Naruto said he was not only a demon but the Kyuubi, she had held Hikaru even tighter. She was relieved that the little boy was still human, but was still unsure that Naruto's story was true.

"Show us. Prove that you are the Kyuubi."

"Sigh…Baa-chan, I'm still Naruto. Kyuubi is a title. I'm a king of foxes now. And as for proof…"

He dropped the henge and everyone's jaws hit the floor. Hikaru giggled when he saw their faces and looked up into his grandmother's eyes to see her completely speechless. He leaned up and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Daddy looks funny when he's furry. Doesn't he grandma?"

Tsunade snapped out of her stupor and looked down at him with a grin.

"Well dear, it's certainly better than the other times I've seen him with tails. Now hop down so I can examine him."

Hikaru complied and Tsunade stood before Naruto and grabbed one of his tails harshly, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Hey watch it. Those things are sensitive you know. Be gentle."

She nodded and proceeded to pet the tails and moved to his whiskered cheeks, stroking them, causing him to purr. She looked back at Ino's mother and saw a familiar glint in her eyes, one of…a need to rub the cute, furry thing. She motioned her over and forced Naruto to his knees so she could examine his ears. Ino's mother (hereto forth known as Yuka, for lack of a better name) sidled over and began to scratch an ear while Tsunade scratched the other. A blissful smile came over Naruto's face, his tongue rolled out one side, and his tails wagged happily, some thumping the two women and sending them into giggle fits while the men laughed hard and long. Here before them was a demon lord reduced to a mere pulp at the mere scratch of an ear. Ino laughed in spite of herself, seeing her mate so serene. Then she remembered the second part of their visit.

"Mom, it's good to see that you accept Naruto as a demon, because that's the second part of our calling you here. As you all know I've been going out with Naruto for six months now and I couldn't be happier. I just recently found out about his being a demon and to tell you the truth I didn't care. I love him. Plain and simple. And now for my part of the secret."

With that she dropped her own henge and revealed her royal purple tail and ears. Gasps were heard around the room until they heard Hikaru giggle once again while playing with Ino's tails.

"Momma looks pretty with a tail doesn't she?"

Yuka smiled at the innocence of the little boy. He was a natural icebreaker. Any negative thoughts about Ino's transformation were thrown aside when it was revealed that, yes, Ino was more beautiful with her new appendages. They made her look otherworldly and more goddess like. She walked to her daughter and along with Inoichi, gave her a hug.

"Oh sweety, you do look lovely. Now care to tell us why you have a tail?"

Thus began Ino's tale of how she became queen of the foxes. Eyes went wide and mouths opened at the tale and when she told of how she and Naruto were now mates, Yuka threw herself at Naruto and cried into his chest, confusing the young demon.

"Thank god you two finally got together officially. I thought Ino was never going to get married the way she was going. And now I find out that not only is she married, she's a queen. Calling her princess when she was little seems appropriate now. Of course I expect grandchildren and I'm sure Tsunade-sama wants more as well…"

"MOM! You're babbling. Be still. Now then we have a more pressing matter than grandbabies at the moment. Naruto only has a year left in this plane before he has to go the domain of the foxes and rule there. There are certain things we must accomplish before that."

"Genmaki. Bring forth the scroll."

Genmaki waddled forth with a giant scroll on his back and flipped it into the air, letting it land and unroll with flair before stepping back into the shadows of the room.

"Tsunade, Jiraiya, Hikaru, and Ino step forth. I have a gift for all of you. This, Tsunade, Hokage of Konohagakure, is the summon scroll for foxes, my gift to Konoha. You four shall be the signers and holders of the scroll until Hikaru comes of age, where it will be passed down through his family through the generations, each becoming the new Fox Sennin. Hikaru, as my son, you shall be the first to sign. Sign your name in your own blood and put a handprint at the bottom. The rest of you follow him."

And so it came that they each signed the scroll and once done, it rolled shut and poofed out of existence. Naruto smiled at all of them and clapped his hands.

"Well, now that that part of the business is out of the way, I would like to say thank you to all of you for accepting mine and Ino's love and status as royalty in a demon realm. Now each of you summon a fox. Hikaru, Genmaki is your personal summon so he won't need to be summoned. He'll be with you forever. Now the rest of you, no seals needed, no chakra needed, this is my gift. A summon without burden. Now do it!"

Three cries of 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' rang out in the office and with three bursts of flame, a yellow fox, a red fox, and a…green fox, arrived in the office, bowing low to Naruto and then to Ino. The green fox, larger than the rest and having four tails, spoke for the rest.

"Ah Lord Naruto, such a pleasant surprise to meet you. I am Gero, the red one is Akane, and the golden one is Isane. We are honored to meet you all, Lord Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade, and of course Queen Ino. How may we serve you?"

"I simply had them call you here to test the contract Gero. I am happy that you approve of my choice of scroll bearers. My son is partnered to Genmaki. I myself will be the boss summons and shall handle all matters in the human world accordingly if need be. I don't want to put a strain on our people."

Hearing Naruto speak with such regal bearing astounded everyone except Ino (it just made her want to ravage him) and he chuckled nervously at their looks. Tsunade was the first to recover.

"What do you mean boss summon? Just how powerful are you?"

"Remember that it was my chakra that held the Kyuubi at bay? Since I'm the new Kyuubi and am a fusion of my power and his that makes me a total of a little over eighteen tails of power. Of course nine is as high as you can go, but I'm the most powerful being alive right now. Too bad I was shut out from being Hokage huh? No one would ever attack us with a fox demon for a leader with near limitless amounts of chakra."

Iruka finally found his voice after absorbing the fact that the boy he thought of as a son, was now a summon, the most powerful no less.

"Naruto, how…how did all this come to be? Why do you always seem to be in the midst of trouble? Why do you…have to leave us?"

Naruto crossed to the man and enveloped him in a hug.

"Iruka-sensei, I'm not leaving forever. As a bijuu I have the power to come and go as I please in this world. But I have other responsibilities now and I can't ignore them. In a way, I got my wish. I'm a leader and I'm acknowledged. I'm…happy. I have a beautiful mate and a wonderful son. You guys are my family. Let Konoha be stupid and resentful of me. When the time comes, I'll still protect them. Let Sasuke be Hokage, I'm something more. I have what his precious master always wanted."

"And what's that Naruto?"

"Everlasting life. I'm immortal now Iruka-sensei. And so is Ino. We'll protect Konoha forever or until we deem them unworthy of our protection. But as long as our family is happy here, we will remain."

Shizune came forward and enveloped him in a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm happy for you Naruto-kun. You finally got what your heart desires. And all it cost you was your mortality. I'm proud of you little brother."

"Thank you sister. I love you too."

Inoichi and Yuka came next.

"Naruto you have no idea how happy I am that my little girl chose you over the Uchiha she used to crush on."

"DADDY!"

"Now now pumpkin, I'm just teasing. Ahem, Naruto if you ever hurt my little girl, demon or not, I'll castrate you and then kill you, clear?"

"Crystal, sir."

"Good."

Inoichi slapped him on the back and was surprised to see he didn't budge an inch. Yuka then made her way forward and enveloped him in a motherly hug and whispered in his ear.

"I want grandbabies by the end of the year or you're dead mister."

"MOM!"

"What? How did you? Oh that's right, super hearing. Now then, what about a wedding?"

"We're already mates by demon law, I don't think we need anything else."

"I don't think so. My baby girl is getting married in a church and that's final. On there's so much to prepare. Invitations, dress, bridesmaids, ooooooo….."

And with that squeal the girls launched into a frenzy, leaving the males confused and slightly fearful for the future. Naruto leaned over to Inoichi and whispered in his ear.

"Hey, this wedding thing isn't going to hurt is it? I mean how hard could it be?"

"Ever been kicked in the balls kid?"

"Yeah why?"

"It's gonna hurt like that, except forever."

"Aw damn…"

The men all cringed at the thought of a wedding and stood forlorn until Naruto turned and went to retrieve his new family. Unbeknownst to him, the older men all had predatory smiles on their faces.

Bachelor parties are always so much fun.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Getting back home was easier than getting to the Hokage tower. After inviting her mother and father over for dinner (and threatening Naruto so that he invited the rest of the party) they simply teleported back home and everyone collapsed on the couch. Hikaru, exhausted from playing with the older men all day, was asleep in Ino's arms while she played with his hair, trying to get it to straighten out, which much to her dismay, was like trying to straighten a coiled spring. Naruto was stroking the fur of an exhausted Genmaki. Making that many trips to the fox domain in one day was tiring even for him. Both Naruto and Ino sighed at the same time and looked lovingly at each other.

"Let's get these guys to bed and hit the hay. I'm bushed."

With that they picked up their respective bundles and made their way forward. After changing Hikaru into his pajamas and flopping Genmaki onto a pillow they made their way to their bedroom. Not even bothering with bedclothes they simply fell into bed nude and wrapped their arms and tails around each other, sighing happily in contentment, too exhausted to do anything strenuous. To Ino it felt so good to just lay there with no expectation of doing anything other than feeling comfortable. It was still an odd feeling, since all the guys before Naruto expected something every night. She smiled into his shoulder and licked his mark, making him shudder. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Otherworldly stamina or not, he was still tired.

"Don't worry dear, I just wanted to see your reaction. I like making you jump. Keeps you on your toes. Now then, why did you want me to sign the scroll?"

"Because when I leave, you're staying here in the human world."

"What? I don't think I heard you right. My place is beside you as queen."

"Your place is here beside Hikaru as his mother. I'm leaving him in your capable hands and when he enters the academy I want you to be his Jounin instructor. I'll help you of course. And I'll be home every night and at least two days a week. This is still my home after all. But Hikaru is human and can't come with us. I need you to take care of him while I can't."

He leaned over and bit her mark earning a sharp breath and lustful moan.

"Come on babe. I'll make it worth your while."

Ino glared at him for a moment and then smirked.

"Bloody cheating bastard. That's not fair biting my mark. What if I bit your?"

"You won't if you know what's good for you."

"Oh really? Why's that?"

"I outrank you, here and there. You bite me and I'll demote you to…well, damn you're still a one tail so I can't do much there. Ah, I know. I'll make you babysit for all the new fox mothers."

"That doesn't sound so bad. I like babies…"

"Foxes tend to have litters of up to four or more…and there are literally thousands of demonesses in our kingdom."

She looked up off his shoulder to see the fox like grin he was displaying and scowled before biting his neck hard, causing him to moan loud and squirm. Feeling that he was ready for a round, she smirked and rolled over.

"Goodnight dear. I have a headache tonight."

"…You evil little bitch**."**


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry the update took a few extra days. I don't plan these things out ahead of time. I write this story on the fly. Whatever I think at the moment is what hits the paper. I'm happy that most of you guys like this story so far. Makes me proud. I'm still waiting in suspense for what you guys invision the characters of my story to look like. Just send me the pics and let me see, or if you put it on Deviantart or a similar website send me a link. Wow, over a hundred reviews and over 15k hits and only been up for a little under two weeks. You guys give me an honest opinion, is that good? Especially for a first story? Welp, enjoy you guys. Reviewers thank you. Readers thank you. Detractors...well, you know where you can go...ON WITH THE STORY!

CHAPTER SEVEN

The silence in the air was deafening until the 'clink' of a dropped fork broke it. Ino stared at her mate and narrowed her eyes in disbelief.

"What the hell do you mean you don't know anything about weddings? You were married once weren't you?"

Head nodded in agreement and others voiced their opinions on the matter. Naruto just sighed and wondered why he had agreed to this dinner date with his new family. Ino's parents were dumbstruck and the looks from Tsunade and the others wasn't helping him any. Putting his hands to his temples he rubbed them trying to make the headache go away.

"Ino, I was married. That's true. But I never had a wedding. Sakura was pregnant with Hikaru by a couple of months and didn't want to have a wedding. And Tsunade should know this since she was the one who signed the papers."

He glared at her pointedly and Tsunade took that moment to knock her sake back and avoid eye contact. Looking away from his mother for the moment, he locked eyes with Ino's parents. Yuka had tears in her eyes and Inoichi had a stupid look on his face.

"You mean to tell all of us that you have never been in a wedding? Never said vows? Never gotten to eat wedding cake?"

"Um…no? What does it matter anyway? As long as we love one another, what does the wedding matter?"

A strong wave of fear overcame him at that moment and he saw that all the women were staring at him with intent to kill. His ears lay back on his head and he began to whimper. Inoichi clapped a hand on his back and Jiraiya did the same.

"Naruto, you don't understand. The wedding isn't for the both of you. It's for Ino. Women have a built in need to mark what is theirs and a wedding is their way of showing you off and saying 'This is mine. Hands off.' Sorry kid, but if you don't do it, you die."

Naruto sighed and put his head in his hands. Why him? He was Kyuubi, Lord of all Foxes. Why did he have to do something he didn't want to do? Oh yeah, his mate was evil incarnate and would make his life a living hell. Now he knew why Shikamaru called her troublesome all the time.

"What the hell did you just say Naruto?"

All attention snapped to Ino and quizzical looks were given in her direction. Naruto raised an eyebrow. He hadn't said anything out loud did he? He turned to Jiraiya and gave him a questioning look. Jiraiya shrugged and looked back at Ino.

"What do you mean by that? Naruto didn't say anything out loud."

'Yeah, I only thought that. I didn't speak out loud. Hmmm, Genmaki did say that our link was strong. Let's test-drive this. Hey Ino…here's what I plan on doing to you tonight…'

The only thing they saw was Ino turn blood red and fall out of her chair, a small smile on her face and blood dripping from her nose, her tail wagging happily. After the shock wore off and Yuka and Tsunade had helped Ino back into her chair, she looked at Naruto and blushed again. Naruto just raised his eyebrows and smirked.

"I thought so. You read my mind and didn't even know it. Did you like my ideas dear?"

"….."

"I thought so. Now then, it appears that Ino can read my mind. Looks like I won't have any privacy at all for quite some time. Oh well, moving on. No, I have never been in a wedding, I have no idea what to do in one, and I'm pretty much useless at this point. Just plan what you want and tell me what time to show up."

Ino looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"But…but Naruto, I wanted us to do this together. We have to. It'll be our only wedding and I want your input. We need to pick colors, arrangements…"

"Fine just make everything you can orange and I'll be good."

"….you know what? You're right. I think between me, mom, Shizune, and Lady Tsunade we can get the job done." 'Oh my god, why did I think he would want something other than orange?'

'I heard that.'

Ino glanced across the table at him with wide eyes.

'You heard me?'

'Yes I did. It appears we can converse without actually speaking. A side effect of your family's jutsu no doubt.'

'Oh really? Well then, allow me to return the favor and tell you what I'm going to do to you on our wedding night.'

Everyone was looking back and forth from Ino to Naruto since neither had spoken for several minutes. Suddenly, Naruto flushed red and passed out, muttering things about 'evil' and 'whipped cream'. Jiraiya's infamous lecherous grin spread across his face and he immediately figured out what was going on. He smirked at Ino, sending a shiver down her spine.

"So, care to tell everyone what you and the brat have been telepathically telling each other? I can make several educated guesses, but…."

He never got to finish since Tsunade sent him into the wall and Yuka walked over to kick him in the balls. Shizune would have done something, but all the fun things were taken. She just pouted in her chair. Iruka cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"I believe we were here to have a nice, calm, _normal_ dinner? And also to discuss wedding plans? Please stay on track. I have enough problems being the only adult in a room full of children, don't make me the only adult in a room full of adults."

Tsunade stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms in a huff.

"Fine, spoilsport. We'll get back on track. But you have to arrange everything on Naruto's side."

Iruka groaned and covered his face. 'That was brilliant Iruka. You walked right into that one.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Konoha had been a fairly quiet town since Naruto had matured. Sure, there was the occasional prankster that tried to be an upstart, but no one would ever match Uzumaki Naruto for sheer quality. This particular morning, however, was punctuated by high pitched squeals and several grunts and groans. The reason? The girls (Ino, Tsunade, Shizune, and Yuka) were dragging the guys (Naruto, Iruka, Jiraiya, Inoichi, and unfortunately for him, Hikaru) around town to make arrangements for the wedding. Naruto wanted Ichiraku's to cater but was immediately shot down by all the women (and even Ayame refused when she heard about it, citing that a wedding deserved more proper fare) and sent Naruto into whimpers again. Hikaru merely looked around in awe at the whirlwind that was forming around him. His mother was so excited she was nearly hyperventilating and his father was about to have a conniption fit. He didn't know what to think.

Ino finally got to the shop she wanted after making everyone taste several wedding cakes (no one complained about that) and picking out invitations and bouquets (could have been done at any time but they were passing her parent's shop so why not?). The finest clothing store in Konoha was dead ahead, bringing excited squeals from the women and groans from the men. The girls were excited to try on dresses, the men were ready to bolt in a heartbeat. Even little Hikaru was fidgeting badly. With a 'Let's go' Ino led the charge into the shop.

Naruto sighed heavily. He had already been dressed up in no less than five tuxes and thirteen kimonos. He was tired, he was hungry, and he was starting to get agitated with Jiraiya. The old man seemed to thrive off of seeing the girls in tight fitting clothes and trying to convince Hikaru to do things to them when they weren't looking. Iruka was off in his own little world and Inoichi was just as excited as the women. It wasn't every day your daughter got married he reasoned. Ino had finally gotten around to trying on dresses and he wasn't allowed to see her until she had found the perfect one. He groaned, thinking of how much this was going to cost. True, most of the time the bride's parents paid for most, but Naruto was nothing if not self-sufficient. He refused to allow them to shoulder the amount alone. Not like with his book sales he wouldn't have the money back in a month. And to see Ino happy it was all worth it.

Giggling and cries of 'No that's not quite right either' rang out for what seemed like hours. Naruto had fallen asleep on a bench and Hikaru had laid out lengthwise on it, with his head resting on his father's leg. Jiraiya had resigned himself to reading a magazine, hoping to see a little cleavage, and Iruka was dozing in a chair. This is the scene Ino walked in on. She looked at Naruto and Hikaru and 'awwwed', as did the rest of the troop. The two of them looked adorable in that position but Ino had a goal in mind. With a load 'ahem' all the men woke up. Naruto barely opened his eyes and cut them in the direction of the noise and closed them again. Realizing what, or rather who, was standing there they immediately snapped back open and his neck damn near broke trying to swivel to see her. Only one word came to mind when he saw her.

"Beautiful."

Ino blushed and tried to cover her cheeks to hide it but her mother wrenched her hands away and threw them down to her sides. Ino quickly clasped them in front of her and looked down in embarrassment. She had meant to come out and look extremely sexy for Naruto but he had blown that out of the water by calling her beautiful.

Naruto took his mate's embarrassment that she didn't like the dress and was forced to come out in it. He scowled and stood up. Walking to her he circled her like a hungry animal and looked at her from every angle. It was a pure white (although her 'pureness' was up for debate in Naruto's mind) and exposed her shoulders. The veil was thrown back behind her head and the train was especially long. It was…exquisite. Through with his analysis he smiled and stood in front of her once again. He lifted her chin up with his fingers so that she looked him in the eye.

"What do you think?"

"W..What?"

"What do you think? Do you like the dress?"

"Um…yes, I love it. It makes me look…"

"Radiant. Startling. Beautiful. Ino, you could dress in a burlap sack for all I care and you'd still be the most beautiful woman in the world."

A chorus of 'awwws' rang out through the shop and the pair jerked around to see everyone staring. Naruto put on his best foxy grin and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, it's true."

Hikaru had woken up at this point and looked at his mother. He cocked his head to one side and gave her a curious glance.

"Momma, I think you're missing some of the dress. Your shoulders and the top of your boobs are showing."

Nobody was able to stand up straight for fifteen minutes after laughing so hard.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The shopping for bridesmaids' dresses went just as well. The only problem was when they got to Tsunade. She was going to be performing the nuptials but Naruto insisted that she have a formal kimono for the occasion. Her bust line was the problem because of her rather large assets. The kimono they had settled on made her squeal with happiness. It was made of silk and hugged her body perfectly. 'And best of all, I don't have to pay for it.' Tsunade thought. She could use it for more than the wedding and if she played her cards right, maybe she could convince her son to buy her a few more sets of clothes. She liked her normal attire well enough but it pays to be able to impress dignitaries and such. She adjusted herself one more time and stepped out of the dressing room. The silence she walked in on made her nervous. She raised an eyebrow and swept her eyes over the crowd.

"You don't like it? I thought it was a perfect fit…"

Jiraiya, unfortunately for him, was the first to offer his thoughts.

"Damn woman. If I knew you looked that good in a kimono I would have bought some for you years ago. The way they make those girls of yours pop…"

He never got to finish that sentence since Naruto bashed him over the head, knocking him out.

"Goddamn pervert. Gotta love him, but he can ruin anything with that mind of his."

Naruto turned back to see all the women with angry looks on their faces and Tsunade with her arms crossed over her chest. He decided that discretion would be the better part of valor and hauled the old pervert out of the store by the collar of his shirt. Taking him home gave Naruto a chance to get outside and away from the wedding frenzy in any event.

It only took a few minutes to deposit Jiraiya on his couch and then return to the clothing store to find everyone waiting for him. Ino and her mother had already made all the arrangements for clothing and just needed his signature. Inoichi had nearly had a stroke when he saw the price tag and was still in shock, sitting in a chair in the corner. Naruto glanced at the price at the bottom of the paper and shrugged, while walking over to his future father-in-law. He knelt down and whispered in the man's ear.

"Don't worry about the price. I got you covered. With what I make it's not even a dent and besides, it's all worth it to see Ino smile."

Inoichi grinned and nodded. He thanked whatever Gods were above that he had a rich son-in-law. This would definitely make retirement a lot easier. He cracked his neck and stood to face the troop, only to see his daughter fussing over her adopted son. He chuckled and wondered when he'd get to see his own grandchildren. He caught his wife's eyes and they both grinned. 'We must have been thinking the same thing.' He thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Time flew by very quickly for the little family and the day finally came where wedding bells would be heard. Ino had invited all her friends and family to come out and it was a large gathering. They had opted to have the ceremony on top of the Hokage mountain where there was plenty of room. The Akimichi's were chosen to cater and Naruto was basically foaming at the mouth to try some of their BBQ ramen. It was quite famous throughout Konoha. Everything was perfect and nothing could ruin this day.

Naruto sighed and looked back to Tsunade. She smiled at him and gave him a peck on the cheek. She couldn't have been more proud of him that day. She wistfully thought back to the days where she planned to be married to Dan. Thinking of him always left a smile on her face. A sad smile but a smile nonetheless. She looked once more on the men standing on the dais with her. Iruka was the best man and Jiraiya…actually looked dignified, if uncomfortable, standing in his formal kimono. Tsunade smirked at this. The old goat should be uncomfortable after foisting his books off on Naruto. 'Although, the boy does have a knack for the romantic and they're always well written.' She admitted with a slight blush. Shaking her head she continued awaiting the bride.

Naruto looked down at his young son and smiled. The boy looked so uncomfortable holding those rings and he hated sitting still. Feeling a pat on his shoulder he turned his head and gazed at Iruka. Looking further past he saw a widely grinning Jiraiya.

"So brat, you ready for this? You really only want one lady? Look across the aisle there. There's plenty more than just Ino you know?"

The Toad Sennin's remarks got him a sharp elbow in the gut from Iruka and many raised eyebrows wondering what he could have said to elicit such a reaction from the normally mild schoolteacher. Naruto turned and took in the sight of all his mate's bridesmaids, all dressed in matching kimonos. Hinata and TenTen looked lovely as always. His blushing bride was nowhere to be seen at the moment. Removing his eyes from the lovely ladies in front of him, he surveyed the crowd. Everyone was here it seemed. He smiled at all of his friends until he came to a certain pair. He scowled and his eyes narrowed. He hadn't wanted to invite Sasuke and Sakura but Tsunade told him it would be in bad taste not to invite the future Hokage (no matter how much everyone may dislike him). He had begrudgingly agreed, but he had hoped they would have the good taste not to show up. So much for that idea. He gritted his teeth when he saw Sasuke with that same self-important smirk he always had, his arm around Sakura's shoulders. She didn't look happy to be there, in fact, she looked downright uncomfortable and hesitant, like she had been drug there. 'Oh well not my problem.' Thought Naruto.

A sudden whirlwind of sand in front of him caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes and his scowl turned to a wide grin. Gaara and his family appeared right in front of the dais. Walking down the steps Naruto embraced his friend.

"I see you were able to make it, my brother. I'm happy that you are here. Ah, and hello to you too, Kaoru. I haven't seen you in months. How are you?"

The little girl paid him no mind however and made her way to stand by Hikaru, talking with him animatedly, while the poor boy tried to look for escape. Naruto, Gaara, and Gaara's wife Matsuri, laughed at the boy's predicament.

"Ah young love. It appears that I won't have to arrange a political marriage after all Naruto. Kaoru seems quite smitten with your son. She takes after her mother in so many ways. Once she sets her sights on something she simply won't let go until she gets it, and even then the boy has no hope. He'll end up just like Shikamaru."

"Now now dear. You know that Temari just has Shikamaru wrapped around her finger. He can't say no or she'll beat him up. Besides he loves her even if he calls her troublesome."

"Yes but look at how Kaoru acts toward Hikaru. I'm telling you the poor boy doesn't stand a chance. He'll give in I assure you."

All three shared a good laugh at that and carried on their chitchat until a familiar melody began to play. Gaara gave Naruto a reassuring smile and took his family to their seats (he nearly had to pry Kaoru away from Hikaru but assured her that they could play afterward.) Naruto looked toward the screen that was set up so that no one could see the bride and his jaw nearly hit the floor. Escorting his little girl down the aisle, was Inoichi with the biggest smile on his face. The girl in question, however, was garnering more looks than anyone.

Ino looked straight ahead to her mate. She knew she looked good but the way everyone was staring at her she knew she was drop dead gorgeous. Even Naruto's tongue was hanging out. She never turned her head but her eyes were scanning the room. She secretly smiled at the turnout until she swept over a pink head and the dark one beside her. She kept up her smile on the outside but on the inside she was doing a mental wardance. If only Tsunade hadn't made Naruto invite those two…ah well, nothing they could do about it now. Finally reaching the dais, she turned to her father who kissed her on her cheek and handed her over to her mate.

"You look beautiful Ino."

That was enough to bring tears to her eyes but they still had to go through with vows. Oh how she wanted this over with. Tsunade stepped forward and coughed to get the couple's attention.

"We are gathered here today to bring together two souls in holy matrimony…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sat back in his chair at the head of the table by his wife and sighed in happiness. The wedding now over, everyone had moved to take in the excellent food of the Akimichis and man was it ever good. Naruto himself had knocked back over ten plates and had drunk a few flasks of sake (not that it affected him, regular sake was like drinking water) before Ino drug him onto the dance floor and they had shared their first official dance. Now kicked back and trying to regain his breath beside his mate, he watched everyone else.

Jiraiya had somehow convinced Tsunade to dance with him and surprisingly enough, the old pervert was behaving admirably. He was also an accomplished ballroom dancer and was impressing Tsunade to a new degree, if the blush on her face was any indication. Anko had Iruka as her partner and was trying her best to make him slip and fall into the valley between her breasts. Naruto sighed and wondered when his father figure would ever get the hint that Anko wanted him badly. Perhaps that was where his cluelessness towards women had come from. His eyes settled on his ex wife and his former best friend and he gritted his teeth. Ino heard the noise and gave her husband a kiss to settle his nerves.

"Don't worry about them Naruto. We have all of eternity to ourselves. Don't let the past consume you just because he's an asshole."

"Indeed Naruto. It is only with great misfortune that he has accomplished as much as he has."

"Gaara. I didn't here you sneak up on us."

"Well I wouldn't be much of a ninja if you heard me sneak up now would I? Take your eyes off the two lovebirds and look at our children."

Naruto and Ino looked over to the corner where they could see Kaoru and Hikaru talking with each other. Hikaru apparently was telling a funny story and Kaoru was laughing up a storm. Other children who were Hikaru's friends were gathered around and watching them with great interest and giving their input. The story finished, Kaoru laughed again and leaned in giving Hikaru a peck on the cheek, turning the poor boy into a tomato. All the children laughed at him and he hid behind Kaoru's back until his color returned. Gaara turned back to the newlyweds and chuckled.

"See? I told you that the two were destined to be. Our friendship has spilled over into the new generation Naruto. And besides, their offspring will be especially strong. Two former jinchuuriki's children should make especially strong children and I've always wanted to see how strong my grandchildren would be. Add in your strength and we've got shinobi gods."

"Gaara I've already told you, leave them be. If you're right you're right, but don't pressure them. They're young yet. Let nature take its course. We found love didn't we? Why rush two who will find it without a problem? Hikaru has the looks to get any girl he wants and Kaoru the same with boys."

"Perhaps but I've always wanted to see how my redheaded grandchildren would look with blonde and pink streaks."

Gaara and Matsuri howled with laughter, while Naruto raised his eyebrow and Ino giggled. Ino sighed, wishing the wonderful evening would go on forever. After the wedding they would be going to Suna to enjoy the oases and generally enjoy life for two weeks. Hikaru would be staying with Tsunade, much to Tsunade's and his pleasure. She was enjoying the glow of her wedding when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned up to see Sasuke with that smirk on his face and Sakura behind him with a hangdog look on hers.

"May I have this dance Ino? It seems it may be the last time I get to enjoy your company."

She gave Naruto a pleading look, but his gaze held fast. His eyes however told another story. He didn't want Sasuke touching his wife and that made her heart flutter but appearances have to be kept.

"Go ahead Ino. It would be most unseemly if we denied the _future Hokage_ a simple dance. Just hurry back. I wish to dance with you again."

Ino nodded and let Sasuke take her hand. She had a bad feeling about this. He whisked her onto the dance floor while Sakura sat down beside Naruto.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura sighed on the inside as she took the chair next to Naruto. She had tried to get her courage up to talk to him many times in the past few months but never seemed to be able to. Finally she had convinced herself that she could do it at his wedding. Naruto was a naturally forgiving person and never held a grudge, even to his enemies. Steeling her resolve she took a deep breath.

"Naruto, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I'm sorry for what I did. I left you and Hikaru all alone and I'm sorry for that. I loved you both but I wasn't in love with you. I'm sor…"

"You're years too late for that Sakura. I don't care anymore. I forgave you long ago but I will never forget the pain you caused. I can never forget what you and Sasuke have done. You broke my heart, fine I can live with that. Sasuke stole my dream, fine I can live with that. But you abandoned your son, Sakura, for a heartless bastard and I will never forget that. Don't think I'm the same person you married Sakura. That man died the night you left. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, reborn. I'm no one's plaything and my heart and soul belong to Ino now. I am bound to her and she me through more than words and a written contract. We are bound at the soul."

"I'm happy for you Naruto. I really am. I just wish that I could undo some of what I've done."

"Why show remorse now Sakura? It didn't bother you back then, why should it now? Your inner voice never spoke up to tell you different back then so no words you say now will put anything right. And as far as Sasuke goes? What the fuck? Why did Ino just slap him?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As soon as Sasuke had whisked Ino onto the dance floor his smirk widened even more. Ino bit her lip and tried not to let him get to her. This was obviously a trick or something.

"So Ino, how does it feel to be married to a loser and a dobe? I wasn't sure your standards had fallen so low that you would just be with anyone. I thought I still held a place in your heart?"

"You lost any place you _might_ have held in my heart when you left us for the pedophile. I hope he wasn't too rough on you. Or did he eventually have to exchange the stick in your ass for a whole tree after he reamed you?"

Sasuke scowled at her verbal jab. He was losing this war of words already and he wanted to get her good and upset before he handed her back to Naruto. He wanted her to question his humanity and his loyalty.

"You know the dobe still loves Sakura? I bet he'd leave you for her in a heartbeat if he could. And for your information, nothing ever came near my ass."

Ino smiled sweetly. She was right. This was a way to try to get her to doubt Naruto and she was now winning the war. No reason to let up now.

"Well I'm happy to hear that you're still a virgin there. And as far as Naruto and me, he would never leave me. I'm his queen and he's my king. We're meant to be, bound at the soul. You, you pathetic little worm, would never understand love on that level, if you've ever understood love at all. So fuck off."

Sasuke ground his teeth together. He wanted this bitch upset and quick. No one talked to him that way. _No one!_ The smirk on his face got sickly big and he growled out his words.

"Well then, if that's the way you want it, when I become Hokage, the first thing I'm going to do is declare the two of you unfit parents and place Hikaru under my care. After he graduates from the academy, I'll send him on the most dangerous mission I can find and then we'll see how damn smug you are."

Ino's reply was a feral growl and a slap that could have disintegrated steel, aimed at his jaw.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The festivities immediately came to a halt and Naruto was beside Ino in an instant.

"What happened?"

"This asshole threatened to take Hikaru away from us when he became Hokage. I merely showed him what I thought of the idea."

Tsunade made her way over and tried to establish a form of diplomacy by asking what happened. She was answered with a growl from Naruto that made everyone back up except Ino, who offered her own growl to his. Sasuke simply stood there smirking.

"Well dobe, if you think you can do anything about it, fight me. If you win, I'll leave your family be. But everyone knows you can't defeat me. You never could."

"You're right Sasuke. The old Uzumaki Naruto never could have beaten you. He was too kind and forgiving. However, now I have a family to take care of. You are of no consequence anymore. And you have tried to ruin one of the happiest days of my life. I'll never forgive you for that. As for your offer, of course I'll fight you."

Tsunade immediately stepped forward.

"Naruto think about this. You can't fight the future Hokage, it would look bad."

"Think of this as my wedding gift to Ino. He has insulted her and I can't let that happen. Honor demands it. Besides, there are plenty of people here who would love to see him taken down a peg or hundred. His arrogance knows no bounds. HATAKE!!! I know you're here. Come out of hiding. I saw you in the back."

Kakashi stepped forward, his eyes cast toward the ground. It had been years since Naruto had even acknowledged him in public and now the only reason he called on him was because his favorite student had shamed the idiot of Team Seven. He was ashamed of himself but he never apologized to anyone, why start now? Looking up he gazed into the taller blonde's eyes.

"Yes Naruto? How can I help you?"

"I want you to referee a match between myself and Uchiha Sasuke. Only stop when one of us is incapacitated. Understand?"

"Understood. But are you both going to fight like that?"

At that Sasuke peeled off his kimono, revealing his battle garb. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"You planned this. You planned to ruin our wedding day. You bastard."

"So what? I'm an Uchiha, we do what we please. Besides, it's not like I'm going to get dirty fighting you."

Naruto glared back at Kakashi and cracked his knuckles. He turned to all the people and saw them watching in anticipation. Kiba and Lee, of course, were the ones to break the silence.

"KICK HIS ASS NARUTO!!! SHOW HIM WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ACTUAL NINJA!!!"

Naruto put on a foxy grin and kissed his wife on the lips before whispering in her ear.

"Take Hikaru and stand next to Gaara. This could get messy but it won't take more than five minutes."

"Naruto, you're not going to hurt him too bad are you."

"Nah, I'm just going to break a few bones and make sure he can't have any more children."

Ino giggled, nodded, and took Hikaru and herself to stand next to Gaara. She smiled at the Kazekage, who raised an eyebrow.

"You might want to put up a sand shield every now and then. He's not going to hold back."

Tsunade put her hand on Naruto's shoulder and bade him to lean down. He complied and listened to her.

"Don't hurt him too bad Naruto. He deserves it, but the council would have your hide for it. Promise me you wont' go all out."

"I promise to go no more than four tails. He isn't worth more than that. Wish me luck Baa-chan and let everyone know that after this the festivities continue."

Tsunade nodded and turned to the throng.

"ALLRIGHT EVERYONE! THIS MATCH WILL BE UNDERWAY SOON AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE PARTY! HATAKE! START WHEN READY?"

Kakashi coughed and turned to Sasuke and asked if he was ready. He got a nod. He turned to Naruto and saw him still in his kimono. He raised an eyebrow and asked if Naruto was going to fight in that. His response was a snort and a snap of the fingers. Naruto went up in a blaze of fire, causing Kakashi to raise his arms to fend off the heat. When the flames died, Naruto stood there in a black battle gi and black pants with a blood red sash. On his back was the kanji for 'Forsaken Samaritan' surrounded by nine golden foxtails. He wore no shoes but his feet and ankles were taped, his toes exposed. He wore no hitai-ate but had a bandana with the kanji for 'Bad' on it. His wrists and hands were taped and his hair was wild, flowing with the breeze. He appeared as he did in his younger days, blood red eyes and extended fangs and claws. He had decided to stay human for this exhibition for the most part and not flaunt his demonic form. Ino was slightly disappointed that her husband had decided not to show his beauty (it still got her hot and bothered when he did) but decided it was for the best. Everyone was in awe at the change and whispered that perhaps Sasuke had picked a fight he should not have. Naruto merely rounded on Kakashi, who still had a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Now we may begin**."**


	8. Chapter 8

Allrighty, the chapter is here. Hope you guys enjoy it. Reviewers thank you. Readers thank you. I just broke 18k hits on this story. Pretty damn good. If you have the time and either like the way I write, my crazy ideas, or just a NaruSaku story, check out my attempt called _Master of the Zanbatous._ Enjoy. Peace.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Kakashi put his hand in the air and lowered it shouting 'Begin!' before jumping back out of the way. Neither combatant moved, they just stood there analyzing the situation and forming battle plans in their heads. Well, Sasuke was. Naruto was just standing there with his hands by his side, which infuriated Sasuke to no end. How was the idiot planning to fight him if he hadn't taken a stance yet? Something about this just didn't seem right, and knowing about Naruto's unpredictable nature as he did, he opted to activate the Sharingan. If his opponent was going to let his power hang out, then so would he.

Kakashi watched all this with wide eyes. Neither man had moved yet and he was already sweating about the outcome. He didn't really want to see either hurt, but knew in his heart that Naruto couldn't win. It just wasn't possible to beat the Sharingan. That's why Naruto was never able to bring Sasuke home. He simply couldn't stand up to the awesomeness of that eye. Sasuke was the elite, a noble, someone who was gifted from birth. Naruto had no finesse, and even though he was of noble blood, you'd never be able to tell it from the way he acted. He had no air of dignity, and even though he worked hard, it just couldn't overcome his deficiencies. 'It's just too bad. Once Sasuke makes his move it'll all be over. Poor Naruto…'

Ino stood on the sidelines practically foaming at the mouth. While she had a link to her mate that allowed them to communicate without fail, her own powers had been amplified to where she could pick up the subconscious thoughts of others if she concentrated on them. Ino had been picking her way through the crowd, seeing what they thought of the match. 99 of the people wanted Sasuke ground into hamburger meat, but there were a few that simply would not back a demon. The council had somehow gotten wind of the match and had come scurrying like the rats they were to see their precious Rokudaime Hokage beat the snot out of the worthless Uzumaki. Then she had picked up on Kakashi's thoughts and had gone into such a silent rage that she began to shake and Gaara had to calm her by putting his hand on her shoulder. Unfortunately, Naruto had felt her rage through the link and had asked her what the problem was.

'It's nothing, dear, except that your former teacher has decided you don't have a snowball's chance in hell of beating the traitor. I heard him thinking that your hard work would never amount to anything basically.'

'So yet another person who just gives things to the Uchiha. Not like Hatake ever did anything different when we were growing up. What he said was not only an insult to me but also to our friend Lee and his sensei Gai. I will not stand for this. Please, don't interrupt me in this fight Ino. I want to show them my true power.'

'Of course Naruto. Have fun and hurry up. We never got to have another dance.'

Sasuke stared at Naruto wondering what the hell was going on. He had seen the blonde stiffen in one instance, then relax, and now he was…chuckling? What the hell was going on in his head? Was the fox cracking jokes now? Perhaps a trip inside with Tsukuyomi would be appropriate. Suddenly the deep voice of Naruto boomed out over the mountain.

"TSUNADE! I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my promise to you about this battle. It seems that certain former teachers believe that a genius can overcome hard work and I will not stand for that. LEE! I'm dedicating this to you. THE FLAMES OF YOUTH SHALL PREVAIL!"

He was answered with a loud 'YOSH!' from two distinguishable characters in forest green kimonos with orange sashes. Tacky, but suited the wearers to a tee. No one could accuse them of being boring, that was for sure. But as their cries of 'youth' rang out, a certain silver haired jounin was looking wide-eyed at a certain blonde wondering how he had found out what he was thinking. Tsunade was beside herself with worry. She didn't know now what Naruto would do and she couldn't stop him if she wanted to (and she really didn't want to). Hell, the whole village couldn't stop him even at half power. Murmurs flew throughout the crowd, wondering what he was talking about holding back for. You don't hold back in a fight against a Sharingan wielder. Tired of the constant insults to her mate, Ino shouted above the din.

"SHUT UP! It's starting."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Indeed it was. Sasuke had taken back his standard stance and was prepared to lunge forward when Naruto made his first move and took a stance no one recognized. He spread his legs till his feet were away from his body and his knees bent, his body hunched forward. His arms hung limp in front of him, the hands half clenched, the claws razor sharp and ready to slash. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this absurd stance but shook it off and waited for him to make a move. Even with his Sharingan activated, he never saw Naruto lunge forward and cut his shirt to ribbons though before appearing back in the postion he had been in beforehand.

No one saw him move. There was a blur of yellow, an afterimage where he stood and just a second later, he was back where he started, with the Uchiha's shirt fluttering to the ground in shreds. Jaws slacked at the scene and were immediately followed by smirks when everyone realized that had he wanted to, Naruto could have cut Sasuke to pieces before he could react. Ino was trying to suppress her giggle at the body of the Uchiha. Unlike her husband, whose body was very muscular and tan, the body of Sasuke was that of someone who never had to work for what he had. His body was pale and his muscles undefined, though there was hardly any fat on his body. Tsunade sneered and thought he looked like Orochimaru, while Jiraiya was thinking along the same lines, just not in so kind a manner. Sasuke, however, was livid. The idiot had shown him up once again, in front of a crowd no less.

"How? How did you move at a speed that not even the Sharingan could see? It's not possible. Stop relying on that fox and face me like a man."

"Oh really? Do you have any right to demand how I fight _Hokage-sama_? I don't seem to remember you having any morals when we fought at the Valley of the End about using unnatural power. Or is it just the fact that your inner Orochimaru might come out if you lose control? By the way, how is it to have your mind raped every night? Or does he just molest your inner child?"

Naruto was trying to goad the Uchiha into making a fatal mistake, that mistake being pulling out his Chidori. Feeling he was winning the mental war, Naruto kicked it up a notch with a sneer that would have put Orochimaru himself to shame.

"Not so fun is it Uchiha? Having a voice in your head telling you all the time what to do, to let it out, trying to take you over. I've lived with that my whole life and you've only dealt with it a few years. How you coping? Have you begun to break down yet? Feeling the pressure of locking away another soul yet? Does the council know about your predicament? That you hold Konoha's greatest missing nin in your body? Or do they know and just don't care that a traitor and his master can waltz in and take over as Hokage? I'd like some answers soon Sasuke-_ku_n_."_

That was it. Sasuke snapped and lunged at Naruto, throwing Katon jutsus everywhere, scorching the ground and causing general mayhem. Several times Gaara had to create a sand shield only for it to shatter like glass from the heat being generated. What surprised people the most though, was that Naruto was bouncing around the battlefield like a little kid on sugar, laughing gleefully the whole time. He had flustered the normally unflappable Uchiha and was enjoying himself immensely. Nothing could bring him down from this high, this elation at messing with Sasuke's head. Well, nothing except a maniacal laugh and some extremely cold words.

"Uzumaki! If you don't fight me, when I become Hokage I will carry through with my words. I'll take your son from you and send him on dangerous missions. I'll make sure his life is as miserable as yours was. You miserable scum, fight me! Prove that you're worthy of my scorn or your child's life is forfeit. Kukukukuku…"

Naruto stopped cold in his tracks and caught the fists of the Uchiha and held him firm. His eyes had gone back to blue, the illusion of ferocity gone. Now they were that piercing, frightening blue that could melt your soul. Naruto stared down at the shorter man and spoke with clarity.

"What. Did. You. Say."

It was a demand more than a question and it made Sasuke pause for a moment. He cut his eyes at the crowd and saw that even among his supporters he had no sympathy. Mess with Naruto, that's fine. But mess with his son and you've opened yourself to a world of pain. Ino was furious and had marched over to Sakura to find out if this is what she thought of Hikaru also. Before she could start a rant however, she found the pink haired woman in tears, sobbing frantically. She kept muttering the words 'evil' and 'no, not Hikaru' over and over. It seems her husband was not the saint everyone made him out to be. And he had threatened HER son no less. Sakura's eyes hardened and she jumped to her feet, shocking Ino and everyone else with what she shouted.

"UCHIHA SASUKE!!! IF YOU EVER TOUCH MY SON, HUSBAND OR NOT, I WILL END YOUR EXISTENCE ON THIS EARTH!!! MARK MY WORDS YOU SOULLESS BASTARD!!!"

"Well that was unexpected."

Naruto was musing to himself on the actions of his ex wife. He may not love her anymore but one has to admire the conviction of a mother to protect her children, whether she had seen them in recent years or not. He was removed from his daydreaming by the bitter voice of an angry Sasuke.

"YOU SHUT THE HELL UP WOMAN! I WILL DO AS I PLEASE, TO WHOM I PLEASE! I AM AN UCHIHA AND YOU ARE MINE TO DO WITH AS I PLEASE! REMEMBER WHO YOU BELONG TO!"

Killing intent immediately flared up everywhere at the Uchiha's words, all the women ready to kill him at a moment's notice. Many were former fan girls who couldn't believe that this was what they wanted to be involved with. The rest were men who didn't like any woman to be spoken to disrespectfully. The most intense ones were from all his friends, who he had fought and bled with. The six enormous ones were from Ino, Sakura, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Gaara, and surprisingly Hikaru. Sasuke's eyes widened as the killing intent slammed into him and he wilted slightly, before hearing a gasp from the crowd. Hearing slightly labored breathing he turned his face to stare at a completely feral Naruto, his tails and ears now revealed in all their glory. His fangs were enormous and he literally radiated death. His voice now had a demonic timbre to it.

**"You have threatened my child Uchiha Sasuke. That is unforgivable. You have threatened your mate and have spat on the very ideals of decency that everyone holds dear. I can smell the snake on you, you sick, twisted little man. You will feel my wrath as I break every bone in your body. Your uppance has come Uchiha."**

Sasuke could only look on in fear as Naruto raised his fist and plunged it into his chest, shattering his sternum and making him scream in pain. All he got in response was a hoarse laugh from the man standing in front of him.

**"Hmmm. Hurts doesn't it? Not as bad as a hole in your chest but it still hurts real bad. Now then where to strike next? I know. Ino, dear, ask Sakura what bone I should break next please? I can't decide…there's simply too many choices."**

Kakashi broke himself out of his stupor long enough to try to reason with what he thought was a Kyuubi controlled Naruto.

"Naruto, that's enough. You've made your point. You won. It's over."

A low growl answered him followed by another demonic chuckle that surprisingly enough, did not make the crowd shudder. After hearing their next Hokage threaten to murder a child, how bad could a demon defending the child's honor and the honor of a woman who hated him be? Most of Naruto's friends were staring in wonder at his transformation and more than a few females were thinking impure thoughts of how cute he looked and wondering what the tails could do. Ino, hearing these thought, turned to the crowd and released her own henge, showing her beautiful ears and tail.

"Sorry girls, he's all mine. Hands off. Just enjoy the show. It's not every day you get to see a future Hokage have his ass handed to him."

Once again, no one was as shocked as they should have been, but being ninja you see a lot of weird things in your life. Fox ears and a tail weren't all that weird compared to a guy who could kill you by killing himself and a puppeteer that made puppets out of dead people. This would just require an answer later on. That chuckle had now turned into deep laughter and all eyes swung back to a hysterical Naruto.

**"I won? It's over? I don't fucking think so Hatake. This match was over when he threatened my son. This match was over the second he threatened the mother of his children. Konoha, this is your future Hokage? A mentally unstable lunatic? An abuser of women and children? Truly you have fallen far. Now then Sakura, what bone is next? Ask her Ino!"**

"Well Sakura, what bone is next? You can't say none because he'll break them all. I know, it's just his way. Pick wisely and hurry."

Sakura sat thinking about her choices. She had come to the hard realization that her love for this man died the instant he threatened her son. Hurt her all you want but leave the children alone. Her anger grew and grew the more she thought and it manifested itself as a chakra flare that was felt for miles. She slowly stood from her kneeling position and steeled herself, her chin raised in defiance. A sickening smirk crossed her face.

"Break the one bone that cannot be repaired and will never be used again, especially by me. After your wedding is over, I wish to speak to Ino and yourself, because my marriage to this shell of what a man should be, is over. I'm taking my children and leaving, so he cannot corrupt them with his Uchiha ideology. They will grow to be kind and humble, instead of self-serving and arrogant. RUIN HIS MANHOOD NARUTO! IF I NEVER ASK YOU FOR ANYTHING AGAIN, MAKE SURE THE UCHIHA CLAN OF THE PAST DIES WITH HIM!"

A slow smile crossed the face of Uzumaki Naruto and changed into an earsplitting grin. Turning that maniacal grin and mischievous eyes to Sasuke, who was whimpering on the ground, that devilish voice came out one last time.

**"It seems the Uchiha clan you knew dies today Sasuke. I'll make sure your destructive seed can never soil this land again. You'll be alone till your end days, never loved and never wanted. I'll make sure of that. Now then, how best to remove you from the gene pool. Hmmm. Ah I know, it's perfect. You may want to bite onto something."**

Naruto knelt down beside Sasuke and began to channel as much youki into his hand as he could. While not enough to kill, it was enough to irreversibly damage his reproductive organs beyone repair. His hand hovered just over Sasuke's crotch and red chakra poured from him into the traitor. Sasuke's screams were horrifying. To him it felt as if his innards were being melted and then reformed and then melted again. It was the closest thing to Tsukuyomi you could come to, except the pain was real. Satisfied that his rival was in immense pain, Naruto shuffled so that he could look the Uchiha in the eyes.

"I wouldn't ever suggest you trying to do anything to my family or my friends Sasuke, because Hokage or not, I will kill you. You are filth, you are scum, and you and Hatake deserve each other. The council deserves you. Konoha, however, does not deserve a coward, a thief, and a traitor to sit in its most honored of positions of power. I am a self appointed watcher of Konoha Uchiha. I will be watching your every move and if you slip up, I'll end your miserable existence and the lives of everyone who worships you. You no longer hold the power you did Sasuke. You threw it away years ago to pursue a stupid goal of revenge. You threw it all away and when you came back it was handed back to you on a silver platter. You don't know suffering Sasuke, but you will, oh you will. Now someone take this garbage to the hospital and away from my wedding."

Kakashi stepped forward and placing Sasuke on his shoulder, shunshined out of sight. Naruto stood upright and turned to find himself lip locked with his wife. Removing his lips from hers, he surveyed the crowd and found many waiting for answers. 'Well that's a better sight than what I thought it would be. Least no one's running around screaming 'Demon'. Suddenly the small voice of Hinata broke the silence.

"Um…Naruto-kun…um, why do you and Ino have fox ears and tails?"

Numerous agreements were called out and Naruto smiled at his friends and family. He was finally being accepted fully. He wouldn't tell them the whole truth yet, but they deserved to know a half lie at least.

"Well, all right. As you all know I hold the Kyuubi inside me. I've absorbed almost all of his power and it has given me…fox like features. Ino has them because she's my wife and mate, and one night, in a fit of passion, I bit her on the shoulder and she…uh, well she…ended up transforming as well. It seems I kinda transferred some youki into her system and it…changed her. But doesn't she look beautiful with a tail?"

Everyone had to agree that yes, she did look beautiful. Kiba, of course, had to ruin the moment with one of his astute observations.

"So you just gave her a demonic venereal disease? Gross, man! I thought you loved her."

"I do love her you freaking moron. And it's not VD. I bit her on her shoulder and gave her some of the Kyuubi's chakra. That's why she has that cool mark. I have the same one where she bit me. See? No biggie."

The ones that knew the truth marveled at his ability to lie straight faced to his friends, but figured it was for the best. Best to let them come to terms with it one change at a time instead of all at once. His lie told, Naruto placed his arm around Ino's waist and intertwined one of his tails with Ino's. They both looked at Sakura and came to a mental decision.

"Sakura, go get your children and pack up your things. You're moving into one of the guest houses on our estate. And tonight, we'll be having a talk before we leave for Suna. Now go on."

Sakura was at a loss as to what to say. Her former best friend and ex husband had just offered her hospitality when they had no cause to. She bowed and made her way home to gather up her belongings and children and leave that abomination she called a husband. Naruto and Ino turned to the now sated crowd and hollered out in unison.

"COME ON PEOPLE THE PARTY AIN'T OVER! LET'S DANCE!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

And dance they did, long into the night. By the time they got home, Naruto and Ino were tired as hell, and basically threw Hikaru into his room. The boy turned shotput nearly missed his bed but was plucked out of the air by Genmaki who growled at Naruto, who just waved his hand and offered a goodnight. He and Ino had other matters to attend to. Like talking to Sakura and her children and getting them settled into one of the guesthouses on the grounds. They walked into the living room where Sakura was sitting on the couch with her two children. She looked up to where they were and offered a small smile.

"Thank you both for taking us in and I'm sorry your wedding was ruined."

"What are you talking about? That was the best gift Naruto could ever give me. I'm just glad you've finally seen him for what he is. Do…. they know about your decision?"

"Yes. You couldn't really say Sasuke was much of a father beyond an occasional 'hn'. He never really acknowledged that they were his unless they messed up somehow. Then he'd punish them. Life with Sasuke…wasn't all that great, truth be told. I was just too much in love to see it."

"Well that's in the past now. Look toward the future and build a new life. Now then I believe there is a young boy that would like to see you in that room. Take your time and we'll look after these two. Oh, and watch out for Genmaki. He's not too fond of you. Don't make any threatening moves toward Hikaru. Let him come to you, don't go to him. Now then little ones, what are your names?"

The little boy smiled and spoke up.

"My name is Juugo and my sister's name is Karin."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and looked back at Sakura, who grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

"Wasn't my idea. He named both of them while I was knocked out in the hospital and signed the papers himself. I didn't want any reminders of his 'team' and told him so but I was told to shut my mouth and mind my own business."

"Jeez, Sakura, how did you put up with that for four years?"

"Sigh…very unhappily I can assure you. My only ray of sunshine was these two. Well I have a certain pinky blonde to get reacquainted with. If you hear screams it's because he attacked me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura peeked her head in the door and was met with flashing yellow eyes and a low growl. A shout from Naruto for Genmaki to behave quieted him down and she entered with caution. Grabbing the chair from Hikaru's desk she politely asked Genmaki to wake him. The deed done, the small boy sat up and rubbed his eyes, taking in the visage of his guest. Once he realized who it was, his eyes narrowed and his voice turned icy.

"Hello Mrs. Uchiha. To what do I owe the honor of your presence?"

Sakura was taken aback by this. Naruto had really drilled manners into her son's head but he sounded so cold. Thinking back to how she had just walked out on them, she felt really miserable and his glare wasn't helping. She sighed and looked down, her hair shielding her eyes as the tears began to fall.

"I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry Hikaru. I'm sorry for leaving you, I'm sorry for being a bad mother, I'm sorry for not being here while you grew up, I'm sorry for everything. I wish I could take it all back but I can't. I know you must hate me and I accept that but I want to try to be a mother to you again. I know you heard me at the wedding Hikaru, what I said about my soon to be ex husband. Heh, I'm a failure at everything. I've deprived three children of a parent and I'm a failure at love. I had love when I was with you and your father and I gave it up for a stupid idea that I loved Sasuke. I'm…I'm sorry…Hikaru…"

She could barely squeak out those words before the tears and sobs tore her apart. She sat in the chair and Hikaru watched as the sobs wracked her body. He turned to Genmaki for guidance at a loss as to what to do. Genmaki sighed and took a whiff of the air.

"Her tears are genuine Hikaru. If you took the time to train your senses like I asked you to you would know this. Despite my misgivings I believe you should reconcile with your mother. I'll be in the other room while you two talk. And as for you, Sakura, don't deceive the boy. I'll know if you hurt him."

Sakura nodded dumbly as the fox turned the knob with his tail and walked out, shutting the door behind him. Her eyes widened when she felt a pair of arms around her waist and a weight on her chest. She turned her gaze downward and was met with a shock of blonde and pink, the owner of which was a sobbing little boy.

"Momma, I missed you so much…don't leave me alone again momma."

Sakura smiled and tears of happiness flowed anew. Everything would be all right. In due time, everything would be all right and she'd have happiness again, with a complete family.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It seemed they had been in there for hours in that room, crying, relearning everything about each other. Finally crying themselves out they decided to rejoin the rest of the party. Opening the door to the hall they walked to the living room and began to giggle at the sight. Sitting on the floor propped up against the couch was Naruto with his head down, Ino with her head in his lap, Genmaki curled up behind him on the couch, and Juugo and Karin curled up beside Ino. What really made Sakura's day was the fact that both Naruto and Ino were in their demon forms and had their tails wrapped around her children like blankets. They looked so warm and comfortable she couldn't help but smile. Unfortunately before she could feel of Ino's tail, Naruto and Ino both woke at the same time, rousing the children. Karin yawned and looked at Sakura.

"Look mommy, her tail is so fluffy and warm. Can I get a tail like that?"

"No dear, I'm sorry you can't have a tail like that. Ino and Naruto are special and they're the only ones in the world who have tails."

The two small children's eyes bugged out when they heard Naruto's name and they turned to him in awe.

"Naruto? So you're the dobe mommy told us about?"

A tick mark formed above his eye and he glared at Sakura who had the good grace to look embarrassed.

"Um…Sasuke always used to call you dobe when he talked about you and he told them one day that only dobes eat ramen. I convinced them to go to Ichiraku's with me and told them the story of a certain dobe I used to know and how special he was. I'm sorry if they offended you."

"No not at all. Listen little ones, you shouldn't say things like that about other people. Its mean and not very nice. Understand?"

They both nodded and then turned their attention to Hikaru who was still standing by his mother. Karin stood up and wobbled over to where he was and walked around him in a circle. She crooked her finger to get him to bend down and when he did she stroked his cheeks, causing him to purr. She giggled at this and proceeded to tug his pink ends making him yelp. He stood upright again and glared at the now laughing toddler.

"Heehee, you're funny. Your whiskers are funny too and why do you have pink and blonde hair?"

Sakura bent down and got eye level with all three of her children. Motioning for Juugo to join them, she squatted down behind the two brunettes and pointed at Hikaru.

"Juugo, Karin, this is Hikaru, your big brother. He's the son of Naruto and me, when I was married to him a long time ago."

"So he has a tail too?"

"No dear he doesn't have a tail and he never will. Now why don't you all go play and get to know each other? You're siblings after all?"

Hikaru was in awe of this and let out a cry of joy.

"All right! I have a brother and sister. Come on you two let's go play in my room. Genmaki! Come on."

Not knowing who Genmaki was (he had snuck into the room while they were all asleep) Juugo and Karin turned to see the small fox walking toward them. Their eyes went wide and Karin immediately glomped him and picked him up. Genmaki was drug unwillingly back to Hikaru's room, mumbling the whole way about 'troublesome kids' and 'I'm not a damn babysitter', while his king and queen laughed at him. Eventually they settled down and Sakura dropped the bombshell.

"All right I want to know everything. So you two spill."

Naruto and Ino sighed and Ino went to make some tea. It was going to be a long night and they were both getting tired of telling the story.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day saw them all in the Hokage's office where she graciously signed Sakura's divorce papers and put a restraining order on the Uchiha, barring him from approaching Sakura or her children (or any children for that matter) within a hundred feet. She scooped up Hikaru and gave him a kiss and said she would bring him over to play with Juugo and Karin every day. The rest of the day was spent preparing Naruto and Ino for their honeymoon and getting Sakura settled into her guest house (which was huge for just three people). Gaara and his family met them at the gates that evening and they began the march to Suna. Kaoru wanted to play with Naruto's tails, which kept swatting her hand away, sending her into giggle fits. Gaara raised an eyebrow at the display but decided to just ask the important questions when they were within the confines of his office. Matsuri admired Ino's tails and ears and secretly wished Gaara had struck a deal with his demon, but then realized that he would more than likely have gone totally insane and killed everyone. Sure crazy people have the best sex, but when you have to worry about dying during it, it takes all the fun out. Upon reaching Suna, Ino and Naruto struck out for one of the oases that had a high fence around it to keep out peeping toms, and a small shack for lovebirds.

Putting all their things away, Naruto dashed back into town to get dinner leaving Ino to her own devices. After he left she got a devilish grin on her face and quickly changed into the most provocative lingerie she had, a see through blood red nightie with matching thong. She lit candles and incense and then laid back on the bed to await her husband's arrival. It didn't take long and she heard him put the take out on the table and start looking for her. Smelling smoke coming from the bedroom, he opened the door wide and was instantly hit in the nose with her scent. Putting on the most alluring look she had she offered him two words.

"Drop them."

"W..what?"

The biggest shit-eating grin she'd ever had played out over her face and Naruto knew he was screwed (in a good way).

"Your pants. Drop them."


	9. Chapter 9

And I'm back. Over 23k hits and 150 reviews. Not bad, not bad, if I do say so myself. I know it might belong on my other story but I have a little something to get off my chest. The Naruto in BHSD is tall, abnormally tall for the Naruto universe. The Naruto in MOTZ is abnormally tall. So why is it that no one complains about BHSD but MOTZ's Naruto is too damn tall? Is it becasue I actually gave him a height measurement? Ah well, people want to know why he's so tall and I will tell you all...eventually. The good book says 'Ask and ye shall recieve' but it never said 'when'. I've never left you guys without answers for too long, just be patient. Besides, all the mystery builds suspense and as some reviewers have said I am a god of suspense and misdirection. Reviewers thank you, readers thank you. Keep on plodding ahead. I still have more to offer. Peace.

**CHAPTER NINE**

A thoroughly wore out Naruto eased himself into the hot springs and his aching muscles groaned their thanks. Who knew that his wife would be such an insatiable vixen? Some muscles just weren't meant to be used _that_ much at once.

'I can hear you thinking you know.'

Naruto slapped himself on the forehead and groaned out loud. He still couldn't get used to not having any private thoughts. His wife's ability to link their minds was a godsend in some cases and a torturous exercise on his patience in others. He looked wearily up at her as she slid into the spring beside him and snuggled up against his side. He threw an arm over her shoulder and sighed contentedly. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"You better damn well not want it any other way. I'm too good to you as it is."

"You know I think your brashness has become worse since you became a demon. I ought to wash your mouth out with soap. As your king I can put you in your place you know."

"And you know that as your queen you'll never see any action for as long as we live."

"Oh really? Who do you think could hold out longer? Me, who went for years without intimate contact? Or you who can't seem to get enough of me?"

"Is that a challenge dear? Because I thought you couldn't get enough of me."

"Perhaps its best we drop this before someone gets their feelings hurt."

"I don't think so bud. You started the ball rolling and I intend to mmpppfff…mppfff…mmmm…"

She never got to finish what she was saying because Naruto had pulled her into his lap and put his lips to good use; shutting up Ino before she got irate and things got out of hand. He didn't want an incident like the second night they were there and she wanted to keep their games going while he just couldn't go anymore. Seriously, his spirit was willing but the flesh was weak and spongy. He just couldn't go on. His exact words as he flopped on the bed were 'just go on without me. I think I'll just lie here and die.' Unfortunately for him she knew what buttons to push and he had to 'soldier on' so to speak. Through with quieting her, he released her and sat back while she leaned against his chest.

"Hey Naruto?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Why didn't you come out with us for over three years? Didn't anyone try to get you to come out? Or did everyone just stay away?"

"No. Shikamaru came by every now and then but with the way Temari keeps him busy I'm surprised he ever found the time. Hinata came by and brought supper over every now and then and told me how Kiba wanted to see me again but he stayed away knowing I needed my space. Neji and TenTen dropped by occasionally. You came by every now and then with Chouji. The one who really wouldn't let up was Lee. That guy just kept pestering me and pestering me until he finally got me to train with him in the back yard. I still wouldn't go out into public but Lee kept me company and probably kept me sane. Neither of us ever told anyone of our private spars but Hikaru got a kick out of Lee. It's probably why he's so bubbly all the time. Lee was a good influence on him. Whereas I brought a grounded influence to his life, Lee was always happy and carefree. I owe him a lot."

"Lee huh? He was always such a nice person. I wish he could find someone who would be good to him. If only he weren't so eccentric, he could find a good girl."

"Lee's not eccentric. Once you get him away from Gai, he's actually really down to earth. I might've imitated Gai too if he took as much interest in me as he did Lee. He taught Lee everything, from manners to improving his self-esteem. Gai might be annoying but if ever there were two people with hearts of gold, its Lee and Gai. If only Kakashi had been as good a sensei as Gai."

"No sense worrying about the past dear. It won't do you any good. Look to the future."

"You're absolutely right. I need to think about what I'm going to do. How should I repay Lee?"

"You could give him some weights."

"No, I want to leave him with something to make him stronger. Not just physically but as a ninja as well. What can I do, what can I do? Hmmmm…."

"You could let him sign the Toad contract. You won't be able to use it after you take up the throne. And Lee would be a good signer…"

"YEAH!!! I could let him sign the Toad contract. You're brilliant Ino. But, Lee can't mold chakra. So how to overcome that…hmmmm. Hey, the necklace I won from Tsunade. It gave Yamato the ability to suppress the bijuu's chakra correct?"

"Yeah so?"

"It was made of stone from the demonic realm. What if there was a stone that could help mix spiritual and physical energy to make chakra instead of using your coils?"

"I don't think that's possible dear. Genmaki already said that necklace was one of a kind remember?"

"Oh right. I forgot about that. But I want Lee to wield the contract now. It would be perfect; the toads would love him. Except for the fact that he couldn't exchange sake with Bunta without going crazy. Do you think that the toads would make an exception for spiritual energy instead? After all, if the snakes can make a demand for sacrifices as well as chakra then there has to be a loophole as to what they can demand in exchange for help."

"Maybe…it just might work."

"No time like the present. Let's find out."

And with that Naruto leapt out of the springs and sprinted off into the desert, Ino hot on his heels. She heard his shout of 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' and a large puff of smoke later, there sat GamaBunta smoking his pipe.

**Sigh…why am I out in the middle of the desert brat? What could you possibly want now? Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon? And another thing…where the hell are your pants?**

"Do what? Pants? What the hell are you…Oh! Oh crap!"

Deciding he'd already come to far to go back now, Naruto covered himself with his tails and grinned sheepishly back up at Bunta.

"Well, I was kinda in a rush…anyways, I need to ask you something?"

**Allright, but who's the other blonde?**

"Who, Ino? She's my wife, why?"

It was then he turned around and saw Ino, naked as the day she was born, trying to cover herself with her hands and her tail. Sighing, he drew her in behind him and she pressed herself against his back while his tails covered all her vital areas and tickled her skin. She looked back up at Bunta, who was wearing a lecherous grin, and gave him a shy wave. The giant toad chuckled and gazed back at Naruto.

**The wife huh? I don't suppose this has anything to do with her?**

"No, not at the moment. As you know Bunta, I'm the new Kyuubi, so once I ascend the throne I can't hold the contract anymore. I need to ask your permission on something concerning the contract."

**Oh? Got someone in mind do you? Are they worthy?**

"More than you'll ever know. He's totally worthy and he likes green. I think him and Gamakichi would get along great. There's only one problem. He can't use chakra."

**Ah, you're looking for a loophole. Chakra is the main thing that draws us here besides the offering of blood you know? There aren't many who have the gumption to call us here without another worthwhile offering. What makes him so special?**

"His spirit. He goes all out to defeat his enemies. He's the fastest person I've ever met. He can't use jutsus but then again, he doesn't need to. I want him to hold the contract because I owe him big time and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. There's more than one way to make a Toad Flame Bomb you know."

**Indeed. I take it he is in Konoha? Have I ever met him before?**

"No but you've met his trainer. One Maito Gai."

**You're serious. I remember the boy now. He's a miniature Gai. True, his heart is in the right place but sometimes he's just as psychotic as Shukaku. Obsessive compulsive with training, huge eyebrows, can't hold his liquor…**

"He's also a total gentleman, respects those who respect him, and would lay his life on the line for his comrades, including your children. All I ask is that you give him a chance. Please Bunta? Make this my last request. His spiritual energy and blood for your contract. I guarantee with as much spirit as the guy has you'll never see the bottom of the barrel."

**You've piqued my interest Naruto. Very well, let him sign and call upon his spiritual energy. I'll handle the rest. Now enjoy the rest of your honeymoon. And for Kami's sake put on some clothes. No one wants to see your sorry excuse for an ass except your wife and that's pushing it.**

"Hey you sorry excuse for a wallet, my Naruto's ass looks fine I'll have you know."

"INO!"

"Well its true…"

**HAHAHAHAHA!!! I like her. No doubt I'll like Lee as well. I'll see you two later. And congratulations Naruto, on everything. Call me to your Kingdom when you can. I wish to see you as an equal instead of as a subordinate.**

"You can count on it Bunta. And thank you for everything."

**Goodbye Naruto. And hail the new Kyuubi.**

With that Bunta disappeared leaving Naruto and Ino alone again in the cold desert night. Ino slid in front of Naruto and stood on her tiptoes giving him a kiss. She leaned against his chest again and sighed happily before whispering.

"All hail the new Kyuubi."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While Naruto and Ino were indulging themselves in finding new ways to love one another, Sakura was left with the task of rearranging her life. Juugo and Karin had instantly taken a liking to Hikaru and Genmaki, but she found that Hikaru was still distant, even with his emotional outburst her first night back. He was still a little boy and he missed his mother. He remembered her warmth, he remembered her love and in that moment he was that poor little four year old again. But Sakura had missed nearly half of his life because of a stupid childhood dream and he didn't accept her fully. Was he happy that she was back in his life? Of course. She was his mother. But she wasn't his mom. That distinction belonged to Ino until she proved otherwise. And even then, Ino had been more of a mother in a little under a year than Sakura had been in his first four years.

Hikaru loved having a brother and sister. They missed their father, but only as they were used to having him around. Having a brother whom had known the pain of losing a parent helped as Hikaru played with them constantly when Tsunade brought them over. Genmaki watched stoicly and tried not to get too attached to the little ankle biters but it was hard when he'd be lying there and Karin would curl up against him and go to sleep. He'd cover the little girl with his tails like a blanket and she'd snuggle up against him more. Hikaru suggested seeing if his daddy would give Juugo and Karin their own foxes and Genmaki wasn't averse to the thought. These children were now a part of the Uzumaki household and they needed protection. Especially from their father, who would no doubt be out for blood against Naruto and Ino and especially Sakura. Sasuke always got what he wanted but this time there were too many witnesses to save him from being banned from seeing his children or coming within so many feet of the Uzumakis.

Tsunade and Sakura chitchatted while the children played. Tsunade had missed the girl terribly but she had done Naruto wrong and her loyalties lay with Naruto first. During their first reunion, Sakura had broken down and cried on Tsunade's shoulder while the older woman held her, her own eyes brimming with tears. It had taken a lot to forgive Sakura but she would never forget how weak her student was. She partly blamed herself for not beating it into her how stupid she was for still having a place in her heart for Sasuke. The other part blamed Sakura rightly for not having the constitution to be with her rightful family and leaving on a whim. She glanced across the room to see the children playing happily together. She smiled. Perhaps, in the end, all the pain was worth it since Naruto had a way of making everything allright.

"Tsunade-sama, what do you think about Naruto and Ino? Do you really think they're demons? Is Naruto really the Kyuubi?"

"Sigh…yes he really is the Kyuubi. But he's not _that_ Kyuubi. Naruto is still Naruto whether he's a demon or human. Technically speaking, the Uzumakis are royalty. Naruto is a king now and Ino is a queen. In truth, Naruto has always been a noble but he was denied his heritage. Perhaps this is Kami's way of making up for that. To be denied your birthright only to be given a kingdom. It sounds like its right out of a fairytale."

"Yes it does. You know, when I left Naruto I didn't have a single regret. I didn't have any regrets until Ino confronted me one day and I started to see things in a different light. I realized that there was no love in my life anymore. All I had were my children. I was expected to pump out babies and take care of them until they grew up to wield the Sharingan and then there's no telling what would have happened to me. I still have nightmares thinking about it. I'm so glad that there are people in the world like Naruto. He may be bitter but he's not cold even if he has a right to be."

"That's just his charm dear. He always puts everyone else before himself. That's why he would have made a great Hokage and why he'll make an even greater king."

"Speaking of Hokage, what about Sasuke? Surely Konoha doesn't want a child-killer as their leader?"

"You forget the majority of Konoha doesn't know about that incident. And while the majority love Naruto over Sasuke, there is no doubt that he is an excellent ninja. I wish there was more I could do but after Sarutobi-sensei came back into power, he was too old to do everything himself. He had to have help and thus he gave more power to the council, making the Hokage little more than a general of the troops and taking away his power for important political moves. No doubt with Sasuke, most of that power will be given back because he will demand it. But don't worry too much because Naruto has a contingency plan for the day of Sasuke's inauguration."

"Really? What is it?"

"Now now Sakura, that would spoil the surprise. I don't want you getting ahead of everyone else."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gaara and Matsuri had come to visit the Uzumakis at the spring and decided to stay the night. All were sitting in the spring just enjoying the night air and the warmth of the water. Matsuri was glad to have a night away from Kaoru; the little girl was entirely too energetic. She blamed the influence of Naruto for that and perhaps Temari. The two blondes were entirely too much alike. Gaara had rid himself of his sand armor for the night, his pale skin seeming to glow like luminescent paint. Matsuri had insisted that Naruto and Ino be in their demon forms as she proclaimed they were just 'too cute'. Gaara had rolled his eyes and laughed at the sight of his wife trying to pet Naruto's tails only to be swatted by the appendages. Naruto apologized profusely; the tails seemed to have a mind of their own, like Gaara's sand.

Ino had been happy to see Gaara and Matsuri leave. She liked them well enough but this was supposed to be her alone time with Naruto. She had finally climbed into the springs after an all day training session with Naruto and let the water wash over her sore muscles. Naruto had called that 'light' training. Light? Who was he kidding? If not for her demonic form, that training would have killed her. How in the hell did a regular human like Lee do it? No wonder Naruto wanted the guy to have the contract. He wasn't human, he was superhuman. She groaned when she heard Naruto slip into the water behind her and pull her back to the edge by her waist. She really didn't want to move right now, why couldn't he leave her alone?

'You know this link works both ways right? I heard that. And besides I believe you'll like what I'm going to do to you. So sit down, shut up, and enjoy.'

Well, that was a shocker. Naruto was never forceful with her and she was about to turn around and protest him doing anything to her when his hands began to rub her shoulders, causing her to moan and press further into his back.

'When did you learn to give a massage? I didn't think you had skilled hands.'

'Ha, shows what you know. What do you think Ero-Sennin and I did all those years, train constantly? Nah, he took me around and showed me to some…interesting people. One of them was a masseuse who said I had a lot of promise. She showed me how to give a proper massage to loosen the muscles and the morals.'

'Wait just a damn minute. _She!_ Uzumaki Naruto, if I find out you fucked some nameless hussy just for massage lessons I'll…'

She never got to finish that sentence because Naruto had twisted her head and locked lips with her once again. That was a dirty trick and yet it worked so well against her. She'd find one of his weaknesses one of these days and she'd have him right where she wanted him.

'Not likely babe. And I thought you had me where you wanted me already.'

'Shut up and keep massaging. Let's see if you can get my whole body loose.'

Naruto grinned and kissed the back of her neck making her shiver.

"You seem pretty loose to me dear. But we'll see if I can make your legs turn to rubber."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The honeymoon was over too quickly for their tastes and soon they were on their way back to Konoha. They were greeted at the gates by smiles of the chuunin guards. All the shinobi had heard about the shame of their future Hokage and couldn't be happier. Word around the campfire was that Naruto had destroyed the Uchiha's manhood permanently and none of the best medics were willing to heal him. Of course, being a total asshole and alienating one of the Sannin and her two apprentices didn't help Sasuke one bit. He pitched a hissy fit and demanded that they help him but without any power to back him up, his whining was more like the buzz of an annoying mosquito. The guards at the gate gave Naruto a salute and a cheesy thumbs up, which he promptly returned, making Ino groan and quickly drage his ass home.

They walked in the door and were immediately glomped by an overenthusiastic Hikaru, followed by Juugo and Karin and an extremely happy Tsunade. She loved taking care of Hikaru but sometimes the boy was too much like his father. She had to have Iruka chase him down after he pulled a few pranks and had tied him to a chair in her office while she did her paperwork. It had been worth it in the end when he had asked her why she didn't use clones to do her paperwork like daddy did? She had blinked in confusion and asked him what he meant. He had told her that his daddy always used clones to do paperwork, that way he could finish earlier to help him with his ninja training. Tsunade had blinked and then began swearing up a storm, frightening the poor little boy, making him think he had done something wrong. She had confused him further by untying him and hugging him fiercely while swinging him around in circles. All this time the answer to her problems was under her nose and she hadn't seen it.

Naruto had died laughing when he heard this. Poor Tsunade had figured out the way to beat the paperwork monster in the twilight of her Hokage career. When asked why he had never told her the secret, he had smiled smugly and told her that she never asked, earning him a one-way ticket to the sheetrock express. Ino had to peel her poor mate off the wall and unceremoniously dumped him in their bedroom until he regained consciousness. The adults all began chatting again while poor little Juugo and Karin watched Tsunade in horror. Hikaru had shrugged nonchalantly and went back to playing. Seeing that he was unperturbed by this, Juugo asked him if this was common.

"Of course it is. Grandma sends Daddy through the wall at least once a week. It's ok though; Daddy's strong so he isn't hurt. He just wobbles around for awhile until he can walk straight again. Grandma says its fun beating up a demon king and besides, they can't really hurt one another."

"Demon king? Your daddy's a demon?"

"Yup. He's the king of foxes."

Karin took the moment to speak up.

"Really? Are you a fox Hikaru? I think you'd be a cute fox."

"Heh. Nope, I'm just a regular human. I can't do anything fox-like like daddy but he's shown me a lot of other stuff, like how to fight. I can show you guys if you want."

Both the little tykes brightened at this.

"YAY!!! Show us a jutsu. A really cool jutsu."

"Ok. Ummm, let's see. Oh I know. I could show you a katon jutsu…"

Ino overheard this with her kitsune ears and growled low, making the other women look at her.

"UZUMAKI HIKARU!!! NOT IN MY HOUSE YOU WON'T!!!"

"Yikes! Mom's mad. Outside, quick!"

A quick scuffle and the three kids were outside, safely being watched over by Genmaki, who never ceased to be amazed at his queen's scary attitude. The kids finally out of earshot and Sakura gone home to prepare lunch for her children, Tsunade decided to get details about the honeymoon.

"Ok girl, spill. How was it? Was it good? Everything you expected? How big…"

"TSUNADE-SAMA!!! Please, you're like Naruto's mother. I can't tell you those things."

"Oh please I'm not really his mother. More like a…distant cousin or something. Pretend for a moment anyways and indulge me."

Ino smirked. She'd show the old woman a thing or two.

"Well I must say he's larger than I ever thought. Oh my god, Tsunade his tongue is so long, and it stretched for what seemed like miles. His smile is what got me the most though. His pipe is huge."

"His pipe huh? You're using an awful lot of innuendos and…you're not talking about Naruto are you?"

"Of course not Jiraiya-sama. Now you'd better wake Tsunade up from that sleeping potion you put in her sake before she gets pissed at you. You dirty old man, you actually think I'd fall for that? I'm psychic you know?"

Jiraiya just grinned and put away his notepad.

"Oh well it was worth a shot. No hard feelings right?"

It was Ino's turn to smile now, although with her kitsune features, the smile was much more feral.

"No hard feelings at all Jiraiya-sama. In fact, once I tell Tsunade what happened, I don't think you'll be having _hard_ feelings for quite a while."

Jiraiya paled at this and began to back away slowly toward the window.

"Oh come on Ino. It was all in good fun. Besides, I don't write books anymore so you wouldn't have ended up in anything. Whaddya say?"

"Look behind you."

Jiraiya shut his eyes and whimpered when he heard the sound of knuckles cracking behind him. He tried to make it to the window, but Tsunade's fist was much faster and he went sailing off into the horizon. Ino just sighed and smirked at the heavily breathing Hokage.

"Shouldn't you two just drop the façade and get together? Its pretty obvious to everyone how you feel about each other you know."

Tsunade just smiled and flipped a pigtail back to its rightful place on her back.

"Nah, its much more fun the way we do things. Although I think I get more fun out of it than he does. Now young lady, I want details about your honeymoon…"

'Great' thought Ino 'she's just as bad as Jiraiya-sama.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto had awoken the next day and went searching for Lee. He found him circling Konoha on his morning run. Pulling in beside him, Naruto began to keep pace and struck up a conversation.

"So how you doing Lee? Everything all right?"

"Yosh Naruto. Everything is great. My training is coming along fine and I hope one day to beat you, my most youthful of rivals. It will be a most exciting moment in my ninja career."

"I hope to see that one day Lee, but for now I have something to tell you that will make you even more excited. It concerns you and a jutsu."

Lee stopped dead cold in his tracks and Naruto had to put on the brakes to go back to him. Lee just looked at him with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Me and a jutsu? What do you mean Naruto? I can't use jutsus, you know that."

"Ah but Lee, I know a jutsu that you _can_ use and it is only allowed to be used by one person at a time. Meet me at the training grounds in five minutes and lose the weights they'll only distract you."

"Yosh. I shall be there. Which training grounds?"

"Mine, behind my house. We won't be bothered there."

Five minutes later a very excitable Lee was seen bouncing around the back yard of Naruto's house, confusing the children watching and causing Ino to pinch the bridge of her nose. She hoped that Naruto was right about this.

"Lee stop bouncing around and get over here. I need to tell you something."

"Hai sensei."

"Don't call me that Lee. I'm Naruto, I'm your friend. This jutsu is my gift for staying by me during my tough time. Only you can do it and it doesn't require chakra."

"Doesn't require chakra? Forgive me Naruto but I don't see how this jutsu can work without chakra. Its just not possible."

Naruto softened at this. Lee was smarter than most people knew. He gave Lee the biggest grin he could and offered a trademarked thumbs up and a Gai-like speech.

"Lee, my friend and rival, how many times have you and I proven the impossible is possible? This jutsu normally takes chakra that is true, but I have found you a loophole that will allow you to do it. Tell me Lee can you feel your spiritual power?"

"My spiritual power? When I meditate I can sense it. But no matter how much I meditate I cannot make it mix with my physical power and make chakra. It is a shame, because I have been told by several people I would be a very powerful shinobi if my chakra coils were not so…unusable."

"Lee, I want you to meditate and reach your spiritual power. Unlock it so that you may use it when you wish. Let it flow through you and when you have attained it, I will show you the jutsu."

Lee nodded and sat down cross-legged on the ground. He concentrated hard on his spiritual power and his eyes scrunched in frustration. Unlocking his power was much like opening the gates, except once his spiritual power was unlocked it would be unlocked forever. Lee had heard many things over the years. Deadlast, dobe, idiot, loser, talentless, incompetent, failure. That last one stung the most. But he had gained friends and they believed in him. He gritted his teeth and thought of Gai-sensei, who never gave up on him. TenTen, though she had been slow to come around, believed in his abilities and trusted him with her life. Neji also trusted him. Then there was Naruto, his admitted rival and friend, who trusted him enough and put enough faith in him to somehow broker a jutsu for him. Not only a jutsu that he alone could use, but one that required no chakra. He would break his barriers and release his power. Naruto was counting on him. That's when he felt the dam beginning to break.

Everyone stood by and watched with bated breath. Naruto noticed the first trickles of power leaking from Lee's body and soon the dam burst, a huge wave of spiritual energy washing over the property and sending a sense of fear and yet calm over everyone present. Lee opened his eyes and for the first time in years he felt a sense of empowerment and inner peace. He was ready; he would not let his friend down. Naruto held out a hand and pulled his spandex wearing friend to his feet. They exchanged grins before Naruto pulled Lee into a bone-crushing hug.

"That's the only hug you're going to get from me Lee. You better appreciate it my friend."

"Hai Naruto I do. This means a lot to me. Now then, may I know what the jutsu is?"

Naruto's grin threatened to split his face open. Lee looked at everyone else and saw similar looks and suddenly he felt…elated. This jutsu must be one of a kind. He nearly started bouncing again when Naruto suddenly shouted 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' and a familiar toad appeared. Gamakichi had a huge scroll in his hands and looked up at Naruto, who was sitting on his head.

**Is this him bro? The one you spoke of?**

"Hai. It is. What do you think?"

**With the pressure his spirit puts out I believe that Pops will be very happy with your choice.**

"I don't mean to interrupt Naruto, but why is Gamakichi here?"

Naruto ignored Lee and instead pointed at the scroll that was on the ground.

"Unroll that scroll Lee and sign your name in blood, then put your right handprint below it."

"All right but I don't see where you're going with this."

Lee did as he was told and was surprised by the names on the scroll. As he read further left, his eyes grew wider and wider until he came to a most familiar name. He looked up at Naruto with tears in his eyes and a wide smile on his face.

"Naruto, my friend. Is this what I think it is?"

"Hai, Lee, it is. Congratulations my friend. You are the new Toad summoner. Now finish signing your name and summon for the first time."

Lee was beside himself. He signed his name with a flourish and put his handprint down and watched as the scroll rolled back up with a snap and disappeared. Gamakichi let Naruto off his head and watched with pride as Naruto helped Lee to his feet.

"Rise Lee. You are a summoner now and the toads are your allies. I have asked Gamakichi to be your personal summon since I will no longer be able to be their summoner."

"But why?"

"I'll tell you one day. For now, know that you are my choice as successor. Now bite your thumb, gather your spiritual energy, and follow my handseals, then jam your bloody hand into the ground while shouting 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu'. Understand?"

"Hai."

Lee did as he was asked and jammed his hand into the ground, shouting 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu'. He felt the energy spread beneath him and found himself lifting into the air at a rapid pace. His ascension abruptly stopped and he felt a bumpy surface beneath him. He looked down to find himself on top of a giant, pipe-smoking toad.

**Oi Naruto. Is this little bug on my nose my new summoner? I thought he would be bigger than this. His spiritual power is enormous though, more than making up for a lack of chakra. Tell me your name boy.**

"My…my name is Rock Lee sir. It is an honor to meet the esteemed GamaBunta. I am at your service."

Lee bowed while saying this and closed his eyes, not noticing the smile on GamaBunta getting wider and wider.

**I like him. I like him a lot. He's got much better manners than any of my previous summoners and he's better looking too.**

"Hey you stupid toad! Lee does not look better than me!"

**Hmmm? Did someone say something? Oh look its my former summoner. I didn't see you beyond the radiance of this handsome young man on my nose. Surely with one such as him signing the toad contract we will be revered by all.**

"Thank you GamaBunta-sama. I will do my best to live up to your expectations."

**All right Lee, you can drop the formalities. I am just Bunta to you. You have proven yourself worthy of my people's help and devotion. The Gama family will help the Rock family as long as you all remain loyal to Konoha and your ideals. I look forward to seeing you in the future. Good fortune young one.**

GamaBunta disappeared after letting Lee off his nose, leaving a beaming Lee and an equally happy Naruto. Gamakichi turned to Lee and told him to summon him sometime before waving bye to everyone, but not before he spoke to Naruto.

**Hey bro, invite me to your palace soon ok? I want to see a real king with my own eyes.**

"I shall most certainly do so Gamakichi. I'll see you on the other side."

Lee didn't catch the gist of that conversation since he was still in shock. He was a summoner!

"Yosh! This is the best day of my life! Wait until I tell Gai-sensei about this…"

"Freeze Lee. You can't tell Gai-sensei yet. I haven't officially named you yet."

"Named me? What do you mean?"

"There was two parts to your gift. I'll give you the other soon. Just be sure to be at Sasuke's inauguration no matter what ok? Now go enjoy yourself Lee. You deserve it."

Lee ran forward and enveloped Naruto in another bone-crushing hug. Naruto didn't struggle, he just hugged Lee back, letting the hapless ninja have his moment. Although if he would have activated that damnable sunset genjutsu, Naruto would have killed him there. Lee ran off into the sunset shouting happily all the way. Naruto felt Ino walk up beside him and worm her way under his arm.

"You're a good man Naruto. How you manage to do so much good with so little is beyond me. You've given Lee a gift no one else could. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you Ino. You have no idea what those words mean."

Unfortunately that moment was ruined when Naruto's stomach growled. Ino scowled at the offending tummy and Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly.

"Well I can't help it. Working with Lee always gives me an appetite. Hey gang! Who's up for some Ichiraku ramen?"

There were no objections from anyone. Let the king have his moment.


	10. Chapter 10

Dun, dun, dun...the day you've all been waiting for has arrived. This may very well be my favorite chapter and the one I'm most proud of. Reader, reviewers thank you. And remember Lee, you are a splendid ninja already...and if I got it right Yon means four so my translation should be correct...let's hope. Peace.

CHAPTER TEN

The weeks seemed to rush by and soon enough it was the day of Sasuke's inauguration as Hokage. The entire village had turned out to see the event, most to see what their new Hokage would say in his speech, others in anticipation of what may happen. It was no secret that Naruto was still bitter about being looked over for a man who didn't deserve the title. Many of those who did not care for Sasuke had shown up with the intention of getting a show. If only they knew…

Tsunade stood on the dais looking out over the crowd, her robes and hat gone already. Today was her last day as Hokage and truth be told, she couldn't be happier. She already had plans for the rest of her life; live in a cottage at the Uzumaki household, play with her grandson and watch him grow, have fun, die. It was all planned out and the sooner she got this asshole into office, the sooner she could sit back, watch Konoha go to hell in a handbasket, and say 'I told you so'. Oh yes, she couldn't wait. This day would be a day to remember and not because of the new Hokage.

Jiraiya stood behind Tsunade with his arms folded, a scowl on his face. Today should have been Naruto's day, not the Uchiha's. It was taking all he had not to rip the smug little bastard's head off. 'Although he's only got one useful head left.' Thought Jiraiya with an evil grin on his face. He smiled at the memory of that onesided fight at Naruto's wedding. Ah, good times, good times. If his student's plan went off like he hoped, that traitorous Uchiha bastard would spend his entire Hokageship wallowing in misery and humiliation. Jiraiya had to admit; his student was a genius when it came to the embarrassment of another person.

Lee stood in the crowd by Neji and TenTen, literally bouncing in place. When TenTen had asked him what the hell he was so excited for he had simply told her she'd have to wait to see. Neji had turned and asked him if he was excited that Sasuke was now Hokage. Lee had stopped bouncing immediately and his face grew dark, a look that should never have been on Rock Lee's face.

"We all know that that is Naruto's rightful place Neji. The title of Hokage was to be his and his alone. If Naruto had become Hokage I would have been loyal to him till death. With our Hokage being who he is now, I am loyal to Konoha, not the Hokage. I may follow orders but I will never bow and I will never show respect to a man that lost mine years ago. I fight for the people of Konoha, but as far as I am concerned the council and our new Hokage can go straight to Hell. I washed my hands of this corrupt government a long time ago."

Neji and TenTen had stared with awe at this Lee. He seemed…to be a commanding prescence, like he demanded respect and he was not one to be trifled with. What they did not know was that by unlocking his spiritual power and becoming a summoner, Lee had seemingly grown up overnight. He was still hyperactive and goofy, but he could be serious the next moment. He had become even more Gai-like. He had turned back to stare up at the dais, uncaring how the ceremony went now, he just wanted to see Naruto's gift now.

The rest of the Rookie Nine all stood scowling at what awaited them. They were all certain that this would not bode well for Konoha in the future. An uncaring, abusive, unfriendly Hokage who only cared about power and what others could do for him? Oh yes absolute best choice. Let's not pick the more powerful, upbeat, friendly and personable, hyperactive idiot who had done more for this country in his short life than most do in their entire ninja career. Akamaru growled while he stood beside Kiba and Kiba petted his aging partner's head. He wasn't happy either. None of them were.

Kakashi stood behind his new Hokage with that same apathetic look that he always had. On the inside however, his mind was in constant turmoil. Had he helped creat a monster, one that threatened innocent children and his loved ones? Had he neglected his other students too much? Had he given everything he could teach to a man who would misuse it? Nothing hurts a teacher more than knowing that what skills they have taught are not used for the purpose they were taught for. The Chidori was to be used to kill in the name of Konoha and yet, for years, Sasuke had used it in the name of Orochimaru. Kakashi sighed heavily. When had things gone so far down hill? He had abandoned more comrades for what he was now deeming an unworthy cause. Surely Obito was turning in his grave.

Sakura stood with her two children, close by to Naruto and Ino, while Hikaru rode Genmaki. Naruto had not summoned any foxes to be the guardians of Juugo and Karin that day because he would need every ounce of chakra he had if things went wrong. Sakura stared up at the dais with sorrowful eyes. She had left a good man behind for a monster of a man. She would never trade Juugo and Karin for anything, but she could only imagine what their life would have been like if Naruto had been their father. She may never find love again, being the ex wife of the Hokage, but Naruto, in the past few weeks, had been more of a father to her children than Sasuke ever had. Training them in his style, teaching them that honor and honesty were good qualities, showing them that it was okay to be children and not mindless little Uchiha drones. At least in the Uzumaki household her children would grow up to be good people. And when they came to possess their Sharingan, if they possessed it, Naruto would show them how to wield it with pride and honor. He had already told her that if he had his way, her children would not end up thieves like their father. They would use the Sharingan only against an enemy, never against a comrade. Her gaze turned up as the din of the crowd grew louder. Not much longer now…

Ino stood beside her husband, her fingers laced into his, clutching tightly. Naruto had not moved or spoken since they arrived. She knew what he was planning and honestly, her role scared her. She knew that she could do it and she was proud that he trusted her so. But this was a dangerous gamble and there was no telling what would happen if his plan backfired. Hopefully before everything got underway, Tsunade could assuage the crowd's fears and pave the way for a smooth transition. She leaned heavily on her king and he responded by taking his hand from hers and wrapping it around her waist. She could hear the whispers from all over as people pointed and stared at the Uzumakis. After their wedding they had opted against hiding their looks and, fortunately, Konoha had accepted them as they were. They were both too kindhearted and had done too much for Konoha to hold any sort of grudge against them. Besides that, the children loved them, and their fuzzy tails and ears were always being groped or hugged in public. Little girls absolutely adored Naruto and little boys loved Ino. Ino suddenly felt his grip tighten around her waist and she turned to see him looking upward. Tsunade stepped forward and began her speech…showtime…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade stepped forward and the crowd quieted as her voice boomed out over the throng.

"Today marks the last day of my tenure as Hokage. I have been proud and privileged to serve as your leader for all these years. Unfortunately, my time is at an end and I must pass the torch to a new generation. I hope you are happy with your new Hokage and may he serve Konoha as _faithfully_ as I did."

The word 'faithfully' and its connotation was not lost on anyone in the crowd. Tsunade had just taken a jab at the new Hokage and basically dared him to do something, anything. Sasuke instead kept his nose in the air and accepted his place at the fore of the dais, overlooking a quiet crowd. His robes and the hat, most everyone thought, did not suit him. They were made instead for a man who was born to be a Hokage, a man destined to wear the hallowed robes and the venerated hat. Scanning his eyes over the crowd, Sasuke locked eyes with the one person he was looking for and activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, as a taunt. Noticing the slight twitch in Naruto's muscles, he smirked and let his eyes revert back to normal. That flinch was like gold to him, it sated his need for dominance over a man who was more than his equal. He had lost the battle at the wedding, but today he won the war.

"My fellow people of Konoha. I am not a man of many words so I shall be brief and then I shall turn the podium back over to Lady Tsunade so that she can bring in the festivities. I will serve Konoha to the best of my abilities and will be _faithful_ while I do so. My loyalties lie with the most powerful nation in the world. May Konoha live long."

His speech was met with a halfhearted smattering of applause and yells from his supporters. He couldn't care less about the welfare of these people. Now that his brother was dead and he didn't have to worry about Orochimaru, he was the most powerful man alive. He had power, both physical and political, and when he was done with the council, the power would rest with the Hokage again. He would not be a figurehead like the Third and the Fifth. He stepped back and turned to leave when Tsunade placed her hand on his shoulder and addressed him icily.

"Congratulations Hokage-sama. But before you go we have decided to implement a new tradition when a Hokage comes to power. Since we have all the Sannin present we wish to show our power to all the dignitaries in the crowd and all villages everywhere, by summoning the great beasts. Do you agree?"

Sasuke, ever willing to show his greatness and power, nodded his head and waited to be told to summon. Tsunade turned and strode back to the edge of the dais. Hook, line and sinker…

"People of Konoha! I am grateful for this glorious day and may today's festivities bring you all joy. But before the festival commences I have a treat for you all. Since all of the Sannin are present, we wish to give you a show by summoning the great beasts, since this may be the only time some of you get to see them. We have also been blessed with the signing of a fourth contract, the fox contract, making them the Yonnin. Uzumaki Ino is the primary holder of the contract but another has signed it and will be responsible for it later in his life. But for the moment, one of our Sannin has an announcement to make. Uzumaki Naruto, come forth."

Naruto gave Ino another squeeze and leapt to the top of the dais in a single bound. He gave Tsunae a small hug and turned to face the crowd, his tails waving in the wind proudly, his ears twitching catching every sound. His voice boomed out and he reminded the older generation of a previous Hokage…

"My people! It is my pleasure to come before you today as the Toad Sannin. I have served Konoha in this capacity for several years and hope that I lived up to my predecessor's expectations. I hope I did Konoha proud. Therefore it is with a heavy heart and yet much joy, that I must pass on my title to someone more worthy."

A deafening roar ripped through the crowd. If Naruto was not worthy of the title then who? How could he abandon such a prestigious position? Was losing the title of Hokage that hard on him?

"Now now, let's calm down. I'm leaving the toad contract in good hands. I simply have other urgent matters to attend to and they will take up all of my time and energy. So without further ado, ROCK LEE! COME FORWARD!!"

Well that certainly got a reaction. Rock Lee was a damn good ninja, but what was he being called forward for? He couldn't use chakra and to summon required chakra. Everyone saw Lee leap from his spot beside a slackjawed Neji and TenTen and watched him approach Naruto with a serious look on his face.

"Rock Lee, I have chosen you as my successor. Will you serve Konoha in the capacity given you, with your life, on your honor?"

"I will."

"Would you lay your life down for the people? Protect them with both arms and never let go of your ideals?"

"I shall."

"Tell the people Lee. Shout to them your dream."

"TO PROVE THAT EVEN SOMEONE WHO CANNOT USE CHAKRA CAN BE A SPLENDID NINJA!!! THAT IS MY DREAM!!!"

"AND TODAY YOU ACHIEVE IT LEE!! TODAY I BESTOW UPON YOU A TITLE THAT ONLY A FEW CAN CLAIM!! KONOHA, I GIVE YOU YOUR NEW TOAD YONNIN!!!"

And with that Naruto untied his horned forehead protector and presented it to Lee, tying it around his forehead, while Lee stood with his eyes closed and tears streaming down his face. Silence fell upon the crowd until a familiar boomin voice came from the back.

"YOSH! MY STUDENT IS NOW A SPLENDID NINJA! YOU HAVE DONE IT LEE, YOU HAVE ACHIEVED YOUR DREAM!"

And the crowd went wild. Tsunade watched as Naruto and Lee embraced each other and stepped forward to the dais again. The crowd calmed when she smiled.

"Now everyone outside the gates. We will need the fields outside if we are to summon all the great beasts at once. There may very well never be another shindig like this so…BRING YOUR CAMERA! I GOT MINE!"

Several people laughed at her enthusiasm, but Tsunade had an underlying motive. If Naruto's plan came off without a hitch, then she would need evidence of everyone's faces, especially Sasuke's. Oh yes, today was a good day.

"Will Rock Lee, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Ino please go to the field to begin your summons."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rock Lee, as the new summoner, was asked to go first. He let out a long breath and steadied his nerves. He knew that many didn't think he could summon but he'd show them. Naruto had put his faith in him and GamaBunta had accepted him. Today, he was a splendid ninja. With a cry of 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' the smoke appeared and Lee rose rapidly in the air, while the whole of Konoha watched in awe. Lee had just done the impossible again by summoning a toad without chakra. The familiar shape and booming voice of Gamabunta cut through the air.

**Ah it is good to be outside again. Hello Lee. Beautiful day today isn't it? I can't wait to catch up with Katsuya and see who the new snake boss is. And we get a treat today do we not? Seeing the fox boss. Oh, what a glorious day.**

The Konoha nin watched with wide eyes and open mouths as Lee and Bunta bantered back and forth like old friends. Truly, Lee had usurped Uzumaki Naruto as the most surprising ninja. Next up was Sakura, who had left her children with Naruto and Genmaki, and she almost didn't hear her name called. Lee had pulled off another upset. She got her act together and summoned forth Katsuya.

**Ah Lady Sakura. Good to see you again and under friendly terms this time. Hello GamaBunta. I see your summoner is as eccentric as the last one.**

Bunta laughed and shook out his pipe.

**Come now Katsuya. You're just jealous because my summoners have all the personality. Its true they're all eccentric but they're also always the most powerful.**

Katsuya nodded her head and all turned to face the new Hokage. Sasuke smirked and peformed the katas to summon the new snake boss. A large purple cobra emerged from the smoke, but whereas Manda had been rude and imposing, the new boss seemed regal and reserved.

**Uchiha Sasuke, Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha, we meet at last. I am Handra, ruler of the snakes. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. What can I do for you?**

"Well at least you're nicer than Manda. This is just a demonstration of power for Konoha, but if you can, stick around, because the fox boss is going to be shown for the first time. It should be quite a show."

**I see. Do you know who the fox boss is?**

"No I don't. No one does."

**I see. I shall stay and meet him. Since the vulpine are now allied with your village, perhaps it would be beneficial for the snake to be allied with him as well. I shall stay.**

It was now Ino's turn and she was the most anticipated act besides Lee. She gulped as all eyes turned to her and she stood with her hands at her sides. She hoped that Naruto was the one who answered her call but she knew that he would come. She was the queen so who better to answer her call than the king? She took a deep breath and shouted out 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu'. Eyebrows raised as she made no handsigns and some began to chuckle that she was so nervous she forgot to make katas. All whispering was hushed as flames arose from the ground and Ino rose into the air atop a fox thrice as large as GamaBunta with nine tails. Once the flames diminished the fox threw its head back and roared loudly, its nine tails swishing in the air. The other summons looked shocked. Katsuya and Handra because they had never seen a fox summon, Bunta because Naruto was bigger than the last Kyuubi.

Tsunade stepped forward when the shouting began to get serious. People were still afraid of the Kyuubi and she wanted to assuage their fears.

"People, people please. This is not the same fox that was sealed in Naruto. That fox was absorbed into the seal and is no longer alive. This fox is our ally and we should treat him as such."

While Tsunade was calming the crowd, the other Yonnin looked in awe at Ino and her summon. Lee couldn't believe the size of the fox and yet there was something familiar about it. Sakura thought the same as Lee. Sasuke, however, was fuming at being shown up yet again by an Uzumaki. First Naruto and now his wife. He'd simply plot his revenge for later. The shouts stopped when they heard Ino shout.

"Well go on. Introduce yourself to them."

The fox opened its eyes for the first time and the crowd gasped. Instead of the horrible red of the Kyuubi, they were a most beautiful blue, like the sky or the clear sea. They were captivating. The fox cocked its head and gave a foxy grin, making many think they had seen that somewhere before. Its voice, while booming and very loud, was gentle and kind. This brought more confusion to the throng. Why was this fox so familiar?

**Hello Konoha. I am the new Kyuubi, chosen to take the place of the former King of Foxes. I wish to make up for the attack by our foolish former leader by offering our assistance to your village so long as the family and friends of the Uzumaki family are allowed to live peacefully within the country's borders. This is our pact with the Uzumakis in return for the suffering of the people. May Konoha live long and prosper.**

The words of the people were undeniable. They were safe from the wrath of the foxes and had gained a powerful ally. The crowd watched as Genmaki strode forward and bowed before his king, his nose touching the ground. The fox looked hard at the smaller fox and spoke.

**Genmaki, what have I told you about bowing? You are to stand beside me as my friend, not before me as a servant. Rise.**

Genmaki rose and felt a presence behind him. All the villagers watched as Uzumaki Hikaru strode forward and stood looking up at the giant fox. He cocked his head this way and that, making Sakura giggle at how much like his father he was. 'Speaking of which, where is Naruto?" she thought. Her thoughts were suddenly shattered when Hikaru's voice rang out over the field.

"Daddy?"

The giant fox looked down at the child with pink and blonde hair and gave him a hard glance with his blue eyes.

**Daddy? Do I look like your father kit? How do you figure that one such as me could be your father?**

Hikaru just laughed and launched himself at the fox's paw, hugging it.

"Because of the way you laugh and your eyes. No one's eyes are that blue but my daddy's. Your fur feels the same as his and you smell like him too. Stop pretending you aren't my daddy."

The giant fox threw his head back and laughed long and hard, making many people look back and forth between him and Hikaru, confused as all get out. It eventually looked down at the boy and lowered its head to let Ino off. She leapt to the ground and swept the little boy up, planting a kiss on his cheek before turning them both to stare at the widely grinning fox.

**Never could put anything past you huh son? The rest of you should be ashamed, letting an eight year old figure it out before you. Especially the rest of the Yonnin. I guess brains really do only run in my family.**

Everyone watched with slack jaws as the fox began to shrink into the shape of a man. It gradually got smaller and smaller until the familiar shape of a much beloved blonde took form and stood upright again, his hands on his hips, his grin overwhelming, his bearing still regal. Hikaru broke the tension once again by leaping from his mother's arms into his father's, who gave him a big hug. One by one, Tsunade, Iruka, Jiraiya, and the rest of his friends approached him to see if he was still real. Lee was the first to make it there and he was nearly out of breath, a feat in itself considering who Lee was.

"Naruto, my rival, is this why you had to give up your role as a Sannin? Because you are now a demon? The King of Foxes?"

"Yep. That's me. I'm still the number one surprising ninja in Konoha, even if I am a demon."

Hinata stepped forward, dragging Kiba and a slightly stupefied Akamaru. She smiled at Naruto and hugged him and began inspecting his tails and ears. Satisfied that he was still Naruto, she stepped back and grabbed Akamaru again.

"Go ahead Akamaru. Its still Naruto. You should know better than anyone that he's harmless."

Akamaru shuffled forward slowly, sniffing the whole way. He got right up against Naruto and began to smell all over him. He inspected Naruto's tail and when he went to sniff Naruto's butt one of the tails whacked him on the nose and he leapt away, yelping in surprise. Finding his nose wasn't hurt, he eyed Naruto carefully, before trotting forward and leaping upon the fox lord, pinning him to the ground while he licked his face. All the villagers let out a breath they didn't know they were holding and came forward to swamp the new summons of the village. Everyone was celebrating, and no one more than Naruto. Despite becoming what he had always feared he would become in his life, he was loved and wanted. He was needed and there was nothing more satisfying than that feeling. Cries of joy rang out and the festival began in earnest. The only person missing was the new Hokage, who had opted to go to his new office and brood the night away. Naruto had surpassed him yet again. He had stolen Naruto's dream, but Naruto had found something better. How was he ever supposed to find peace if the dobe kept beating him at life?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto flopped onto the couch after putting all the children to bed. They had insisted on staying up for the festival but Naruto knew they were fighting sleep and decided to go home. His eyes were closed and he had a small smile on his face when he felt a weight on his body and suddenly someone else's lips were smashed into his own. He opened his eyes to find his wife on top of him, her tail swishing happily behind her.

"What was all that about?"

She opened her eyes and grinned at him cheekily. Her eyes halflidded and eyelashes batting she spoke in a low and sultry voice.

"You were so hot in your fox form. I mean beautiful. Words cannot describe how sexy you were. Would you care to find out how to mate like real foxes in the bedroom?"

"Before you two start any bumping and grinding, I have a few questions for you both."

Naruto and Ino both groaned. Leave it to Sakura to ruin their fun. Ino turned her head and growled at her found again friend.

"Can't you see I have business to take care of here Forehead? My king needs attention and as a queen I can't let his scepter remain unpolished. Get my drift?"

"Oh I get your drift. I just want to know what the hell the two of you are."

Naruto grinned at Sakura and just rubbed Ino's back, making her purr.

"Why Sakura, I'm offended. I'm the king of foxes and Ino is my queen. We're fox demons and royalty. Now I believe you were interrupting something, so do you mind?"

"What about Hikaru? Is he a demon?"

"Is that all you're worried about? No, Sakura, our son is human and always will be. He's abnormally strong for one so young, but that' because he's our son. My stamina and your strength and chakra control. He'll grow up to be a better ninja than either of us. Our son will be fine. Now please, we're about to celebrate whether you're in the room or not, so unless you want a lesson in how flexible foxes are…"

"Allright, I'm going. And Naruto? Thank you for everything you've done for me. I don't deserve it but thank you for taking my children and I into your home. I'll never be able to repay you for your kindness."

"Can you help Ino raise Hikaru up right while I take care of my other duties?"

"Absolutely."

"Then you can repay me. Now then my queen, where were we?"

Sakura ran from the room as quickly as she could. Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough to escape the sounds of yelps and growls coming from the room.

'Those two are a couple of animals in the bedroom. Oh well, if Naruto's anything like when we were married, Ino's going to have a smile for days.'

Sakura blushed at her thoughts and walked back to her new home. She tried not to reminisce about the past but couldn't help it. Deciding to take a page out of her master's book, she cracked open a bottle of sake to wash away the memories. The more shitfaced she got though, the more the blush would deepen. Before she drifted off into a sake induced slumber she had one final thought.

'I always knew he was an animal at heart…'


	11. Chapter 11

And Chapter 11 is here. Hope you guys enjoy this. Can't believe how popular this story is. Over 200 reviews and over 35k hits. Readers, reviewers, thank you. Keep doing your own thang. And remember I'm looking for an artist to take up the challenge of drawing characters for all my stories. If you know someone, get 'em to read the story and get cracking. Thanks in advance. Peace.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and Naruto soon would have to go to his new kingdom. None of his friends and family were looking forward to this event as he would have to leave and not be home except for the weekends or if it was an emergency. Naruto too, was troubled by this. He thought of his poor son, who had just now got his mother back, only to lose his father for significant amounts of time. The boy was tough though, he'd pull through. He was his father's son after all.

Ino was not taking their last full days together very well though. She loved every minute they spent together, true, but she couldn't help but feel dejected. She wanted to rule by Naruto's side, be his queen, but she knew that Hikaru needed guidance and the children had to be protected. Sakura was strong but she couldn't protect them like Ino could. Sasuke was sure to try to take his revenge one day and Naruto couldn't be around all the time. Despite Hikaru warming back up to Sakura, Ino was still his mother, she was the one he ran to when he had a problem. Truth be told, he would probably always resent Sakura a little bit, but he would one day trust her fully again. Time heals all wounds and all that.

Naruto was both psyched and downtrodden at the same time. He was excited to see his kingdom, even though he had no idea what to expect. Maybe one day he could take Ino to their new home, probably once Hikaru was grown and could protect himself. He frowned to himself. His son was mortal. He was immortal. He and Ino would have a long life while his first child would die before him. Nothing saddens a parent more than knowing that their child will pass on before them. Ridding his mind of such troubling thoughts, he turned to more pleasant things. He smiled as he thought of his friend Lee, the new Toad Yonnin. Lee deserved it so much, more than anyone.

Sakura had come to live on the Uzumaki estates with her children. He tried to be objective about this. He didn't really want to have Sakura around, but after Sasuke's little display at the wedding, he couldn't leave her or her innocent children with that monster. Juugo and Karin it seemed, loved their new home. They were able to act like children here, not mindless Uchiha drones, and they absolutely loved Hikaru. Having an older brother was such a novel idea to them. Hikaru loved having younger siblings, they seemed to hang on his every word and action. Annoying at times, how they idolized him, but it was no different than how Konohamaru used to idolize him.

He was so lost in thought, reminiscing about the past and thinking toward the future, that he didn't hear his wife slip in the room or feel her climb onto the bed until her arms were around his neck and her tail wrapped around his. She pressed herself into his back and sighed, feeling the ever-present warmth that seemed to radiate from him. If she was ever lost in a blizzard with him, she'd never die of frostbite. She nipped at his ear with her fangs and bent to whisper in his ear.

"Let's take a walk dear. You need to clear your head and we need some time alone. Let Sakura watch the children. You and I need to talk."

He nodded and took her by the hand, leaving to find Sakura. They found her and the kids out back, the ever stoic Genmaki watching while he half dozed and Sakura sat against the side of the house on the grass. Hikaru, to Naruto's surprise and fatherly pride, was teaching Juugo and Karin his vulpine taijutsu. Having no natural affinity for bestial nature, the two small children were more rolling around than running on all fours, but it was entertaining to watch. Hikaru would demonstrate with no flaws since he was very proficient in this style, but Juugo and Karin, having been trained in the Uchiha style since they could walk, were too inflexible for it. Although, watching Juugo try to run with his ass in the air because he wasn't flexible enough to bend his legs properly made even Genmaki chuckle. This was what the children needed though, they needed each other. Sakura finally seemed to notice the two demons standing by her and she smiled up at them.

"Hey. What are you two doing out here?"

Ino returned the smile and looked back at the children.

"We're going for a walk and wanted to let you know. We'll be back later on, so if you want to take the kids for lunch, there's money on the counter. Tonight, I'm going to make Naruto whip up some of his barbeque and try a recipe that he learned when he got the old Kyuubi's knowledge."

"Oh? What's it called?"

"Potato salad."

Sakura raised her eyebrow and gave Naruto a funny look.

"Is it any good?"

He shrugged and grinned back at her.

"I guess so. All I have is the mental picture of it and an idea of how to make it. But it should be good. We'll see in any event. I'll make something for desert too."

"That sounds good Naruto. You two go on now. I'll watch the kids. Genmaki'll help me, right Genmaki?"

A snort was the only answer she got and she thumped the fox on the ear, making him growl. He still didn't like Sakura but he at least tolerated her presence since she seemed to make his charge happy. He looked up with half lidded eyes at his king.

**Don't worry my Lord. I'll watch the kits and make sure they stay out of trouble. You and Lady Ino go and have fun. Just remember that you're making barbeque and I want some to.**

"Of course Genmaki. Well, we're off. See you tonight."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto noticed that he wasn't getting glares anymore as he walked through the village. Instead he got smiles and friendly waves. He was a protector of Konoha and he had sworn a demonic oath to serve as long as his family lived here. Small children would run up and grab his tails and he would swat them playfully with another, making them laugh and squeal with joy, before they ran off. He glanced over at his mate and saw she had a content smile on her face. She caught him looking at her and smirked, deciding to talk to him psychically instead of out loud.

'Thinking about the glares or lack thereof honey? Its all because of your declaration to protect them as the Kyuubi instead of destroying them for the way they treated you. A lot of people have had to take a good long look in the mirror because of your selflessness. Enjoy the moment. You deserve it.'

'Its not just that sweetie. It's the fact that I hope they continue treating you like this when I'm gone. I don't want you ostracized because of irrational fear of what I, of what we are now. I don't want Hikaru being treated like I was because of who his father is. I want your lives as peaceful as possible.'

'Naruto, you can't protect us forever. I can take care of myself and both Sakura and I will be watching the children. Don't stretch yourself too thin worrying about matters in both realms. We took this walk to relax didn't we? Not to worry about would haves or could haves.'

'Sigh…you're right. I'm sorry. So what shall we do?'

'I don't know. You're the surprise ninja, you're the demon lord. You think of something.'

Naruto stopped walking and nearly jerked Ino off her feet since he didn't let go of her hand. She squeaked and turned to give him the evil eye, but he was staring at the clouds. A large feral grin spread across his face and he turned to look at his queen.

"Yeah I've got an idea. I want you to hop on my back."

She blinked twice and looked at him like he'd lost his damn mind.

"Do what now?"

"When I tell you, hop on my back. You're going for a ride."

Before she could say anymore he dropped her hand and stepped back to the middle of the street. People stopped and stared, wondering what he could possibly be doing. Most had come to accept the fact that a demon walked among them, but Naruto was still a prankster at heart and the people of Konoha had learned never to let their guard down around him over the years. All eyes present watched in fascination as he was engulfed in flame and once the flames peaked, they receded to reveal a horse sized red fox with familiar blue eyes. Ino glared at him while he wagged his tails and laid on the ground in front of her.

**Well what are you waiting for? Get on.**

She threw a leg over his back and sat down, grabbing a handful of fur. Before she could even squeal in surprise, he jumped off the ground and practically flew through the market. A bloodred blur was all the people saw, along with hearing a banshee shriek. Ino was laughing and screaming with joy. She'd never gone this fast in her life and it was exhilarating. She leaned to the right, trying to see Naruto's face in his transformed state. She could see his tongue lolling out one side of his mouth, a wide grin plastered on his face, his eyes gleaming with playfulness. She always did like that look in his eyes. It suited him and yet, it always meant trouble. Trouble she usually had to end up explaining to the Hokage later, while dragging his sorry ass by the tails to atone for some prank or misdeed. She sighed and her smile came back immediately after. 'It must just be his kitsune nature.'

Naruto, meanwhile, knew exactly where he wanted to go. He was going to the park, to explain to the children why he couldn't come around and play anymore. He saw the familiar structures of the park coming up fast and threw on the brakes, grinding to a halt and nearly throwing Ino over his head due to his sudden stop. He heard her sqeak, grab roughly at his fur and then she knocked him over the head, cursing at him for stopping so quickly without warning her. Naruto simply grinned at her and shook his head, ridding himself of the fog in his brain she had given him. Once his head was clear he turned his attention to the now gathered throng of children and adults in front of him. Ino slid from his back and stood beside him, wondering why he had brought them here. Naruto transformed back into his human form and turned his head so that he was slightly looking at her.

'I brought us here to tell the children I'm sorry, that I can't be around to summon foxes for them anymore. To tell them that if they want to play with toads they'll have to get Lee to do it for them. I just want to tell them to still be friends with Hikaru, Juugo, and Karin. I want things to stay normal for our son and our future children. That's all.'

'Our future children?'

Naruto looked up at her with a foxy smirk.

'Of course. We have to get started soon. Not only is it a requirement for being the vulpine regents but your mother and father threatened to kill me if I didn't give them grandchildren by the end of the year. We'll continue this later though ok? I can't be having these kind of thoughts while I'm talking to children.'

He turned back to the kids and started explaining to them the details of his departure. Ino just got an evil grin and began to send Naruto mental pictures of their honeymoon.

'Stop it Ino.'

She grinned and gave him another mental picture of their first night together.

'I mean it Ino. Stop. I can't concentrate.'

Her grin got even bigger and she told him what she was going to do to him after his first night back from the fox kingdom. He turned to her, his blue eyes wide and he snarled at her.

"Damnit Ino! Stop doing that. I'm trying to talk to children here and you're sending me those kinds of thoughts."

The people gathered all stared at him and one of the children asked him what kind of thoughts in a tiny voice. Good thing the heat was on the inside because the blush he had would have burned them all.

"Um, I can't tell you that little one. They're private thoughts and not for little ones. Ok? Now then, you kids all like my son Hikaru right?"

A chorus of yeses rang out over the playground. Naruto noticed that a few of the girls had blushes on their faces at the mention of Hikaru. Well, if they liked Hikaru, they'd surely love Juugo and Karin.

"That's good kids. I just have one more favor to ask of you ok? Hikaru recently found out that he had a brother and sister and they don't have many friends. Will you play with them like you do with Hikaru? Can you promise me that?"

Another round of yeses and Naruto's line of questioning was over. The kids' line however, was hardly over.

"Naruto-sama, was that really big fox the other day really you?"

"Of course it was. I'm a demon and that was my true form. But I prefer this form you see before you. It's more comfortable to me."

"Can we become demons too?"

"Haha, no little ones I'm sorry but you can't become demons. I'm a special case and so is my wife."

The small children all looked at Ino and she cocked her head in a very foxlike manner.

"What?"

"Are you really a demon too Miss Ino?"

"Of course. I have a tail don't I? And these cute fuzzy ears?"

A small redhaired girl stepped forward and gazed up at Ino with wide eyes.

"Can I touch them?"

Ino laughed and sat down crosslegged, letting the children pet her ears and tail. She purred in contentment and looked at her mate who had transformed back into a fox and was curled up, letting the children climb all over him. She looked the other way and saw all the adults laughing and pointing, happy that their children were having such fun. A sudden idea popped into her head and she sent Naruto a mental message.

'Hey Naruto? Can I turn into a fox?'

'You should be able to, I guess. You're a demon after all. Try it.'

'How?'

'Just imagine yourself as a fox. Imagine yourself transforming into a fox. Its that easy.'

'Can I control the size?'

'Of course. You just can't get as big as me. Not yet anyway. You don't have enough power yet. You should be able to get as big as me right now though.'

She nodded and stood up, telling the children to stand back. Clearing her thoughts she imagined herself changing into a fox and when she opened her eyes she felt the ground in four different places. Wait, four different places? She looked down and saw her paws and lifted them one by one. Turning her head she looked at her mate and saw him and everyone looking at her with wide eyes. Peering into his mind to see his thoughts, she thanked her dark purple fur for hiding the epidermis underneath.

'My god Ino. You're beautiful. I'm so lucky to have you for a mate.'

'So what do I look like?'

'A demoness ready for the hunt. A wild beauty untamed by anyone.'

'Who thought you were so poetic?'

'Who thought you were so cute with your tongue hanging out?'

'IT IS NOT!!'

Ino turned back to the wide eyed and smiling children and asked them.

**Is my tongue hanging out? Tell me the truth now.**

Her answer were several giggles and nodding heads. She narrowed her eyes and looked back at her mate.

'You knew this would happen and you didn't tell me?'

'Awww, but Ino, I thought you looked cute.'

'I'll deal with you later.'

**So kids, how do I look. Much better than Naruto right?**

The girls all agreed with her while the boys liked Naruto's look better. Ino still didn't know how she looked and wanted to get a good idea so they bade everyone at the park goodbye and made their way back home, still transformed with their tails intertwined. People on the street stopped and looked at the strange couple, and one older couple stopped them, asking who they were. Naruto answered in that deep voice that only summons and demons have.

**We are the Uzumakis, Naruto and Ino. How can we help you?**

"I just wanted to know if that was you Naruto-sama. Your wife and you make a perfect couple whatever skin you're wearing. Don't you think so dear?"

The old man nodded his head and smiled at Naruto, who returned the smile (good thing the people don't view him as a threat because smiles in fox form could easily be translated as a show of baring teeth) and bade them good day. He sighed happily and looked up at the sky.

'Today was a good day. I hope that my family has many more of these in the years to come.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto and Ino walked through the door to find their family in the living room, playing a game. Sakura raised her eyebrow at the two foxes and looked at the one beside Naruto questionably.

"Ino? Is that you?"

**Of course it is Forehead. How many other purple furred foxes do you know?**

"Ok that's definitely Ino. Now how did the two of you get in here without hands?

Naruto waved his tails wildly and smiled toward Genmaki, who smirked back at him.

**The same way Genmaki gets around without hands. We used our tails. Such wonderful appendages they are. Useful for…all kinds of things. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some dinner to make.**

Naruto transformed back into his human state and walked off into the kitchen, leaving a wide eyed Juugo and Karin and a dumbfounded Sakura. Finding her wits again, she turned to the still foxy Ino.

"Why havent' you transformed back yet?"

**I want to see what I look like in this state before I change back. I'll be back in a second.**

Ino turned and opened the door to her's and Naruto's bedroom by twisting the knob with the tip of her tail, ignoring the look Sakura gave her. She flipped on the light switch and strode in front of the full-length mirror, admiring her form. Her fur was still the royal purple of her tail and ears but her paws were a pure white and her eyes retained their normal light blue. She swished her tail back and forth and sat on her haunches admiring her looks from every angle.

'Damn, I'm a sexy bitch.'

"Actually I believe the term is sexy vixen. Foxes don't have bitches."

She twisted around quickly and gazed up at her mates face. She had the good nature to look sheepish.

**Sorry, I hope I didn't offend.**

"Not at all. Now kindly transform back to your human form. I like you like this but its awkward to kiss you when you're basically licking me back."

She gave him a glare and changed back before launching herself at him, pinning him to the bed behind him.

"You know, as much as I want to do this, I still have barbeque and potato salad to make. I just came in here to give you your gift for unlocking your animal form."

"And what would that be?"

"This."

He reached around behind her and began to pump chakra into her tail, causing her to scream while he whispered soothing words into her ear and tried to kiss away her tears. The pain was gone before she knew it and she laid in his arms, exhausted from the brief ordeal. Her thoughts finally became unclouded and she snuggled into his chest more, while her tails fought with his. Wait, tails? She whipped her head around and stared at the two purple appendages behind her and squealed with delight, before kissing Naruto with much passion and love, causing his eyes to widen greatly. After nearly a minute of her sucking the breath out of him he began to flail his arms and tails wildly but she wouldn't relinquish her hold on him or his tongue. With a burst of strength, he separated himself from her and leaped off the bed and to the door. She remained on her knees, looking at him seductively before practically purring.

"You. Me. Here. Now."

"I…I can't Ino. I have to fix dinner. Maybe later tonight ok?"

"No. You and me. Right now. I have never been this horny in all my life. Get over her or I'm coming over there."

"I can't. The kids'll here us."

Ino made some handsigns and the walls glowed white for a brief second before returning to normal.

"Now they can't. Get over here. Now."

"But Ino…"

"UZUMAKI NARUTO! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND DO AS YOUR QUEEN SAYS OR THE VULPINE WILL NEED A NEW KING!"

"Gulp…yes ma'am."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was nearly fourty five minutes later that a bleary eyed Naruto and a more than satisfied Ino came out of the bedroom. Seeing the look on her ex husband's face and the pure glow coming from Ino, she could guess what happened. 'Poor Naruto, if I used to wear him out before he was a demon, I can only guess what Ino did to him.' She was about to ask smugly what they were doing when he turned his half lidded gaze to her.

"Ino had her way with me. I don't want to talk about it. Damn vixen and her newfound powers…"

He walked off into the kitchen still muttering under his breath, while Ino flopped down beside her on the couch and let out a happy sigh. Sakura, ever the inquisitive mind, couldn't help herself.

"So, how was it?"

Ino seemed to finally notice her friend and housemate and smiled at her.

"I wore his ass out. Remember way back when I said you fucked up letting him go? Girl, you have no idea. However good he was as a human is nothing compared to how good it is as a demon. And being a demon myself, it just amplifies it. Ooooo, I can't wait for next time."

"Sigh…I know, I fucked up. Wish I could go back and undo everything, but then you wouldn't be happy. I wish I had him back or at least had a man that was as good as him."

Ino looked at Sakura out of the corner of her eyes and gave her a sly grin.

"You know, I know a certain summoner who's had a crush on you since childhood. He's single, kind hearted, loves kids, and if he had someone with a fashion sense to dress him up, he could actually be quite handsome. Not that he isn't now, he just needs fashion guidance."

Sakura looked at Ino and narrowed her eyes.

"You better not be talking about Lee. I like him but I don't think he's husband or boyfriend material."

"And Naruto was? Naruto needed someone to polish him up, to show the world what a catch he was. Do you realize how jealous I was that you had such a catch and I didn't? I tried Sai for a while but we were just too different. Lee is just like Naruto back then. He needs someone to help him and love him for him. Give him a chance once you're healed from the divorce and you might just be surprised."

"Oh ok. And here I was going to ask if you'd share Naruto."

"Don't ever joke about that. I don't share and you know it. Besides, with the way I wear him out, what makes you think he'd have any energy for you?"

"Well, he could just lay there and I'd do all the work…"

Both women laughed at this but Naruto, with his sensitive hearing, had heard everything from the kitchen and was furiously blushing. He decided to concentrate fully on dinner and not listen to the ladies.

"By the way Ino, since when do you have two tails?"

"Oh these? The new tail was a gift for finding my animal form. I guess when I pass certain milestones; Naruto will gift me with a new tail."

The ladies continued with their conversation until a shout of 'Dinner's ready!' came from the dining room. Everyone made their way in and gaped at the spread on the table. Heaps of barbeque, the large bowl of what they suspected was potato salad, and the actual bowl of chef's salad. The smell made all present drool and when Naruto said 'dig in' there were no words spoken, only the sound of smacking and satisfied grunts. Ino took a bite of the potato salad and just stared at Naruto, making him worry.

"Is something wrong with it? Its not good?"

"No dear it's great. You'll have to dig further into your mind and see if you can find more recipes."

Naruto grinned widely before taking a bite of barbeque.

"Well if you love this then you'll die for my desert."

True to form, when he wheeled out desert, saliva was on tap in every mouth. The giant chocolate cake he had made was delicious and everyone went to bed that night with a smile on their faces and full bellies. Genmaki had disappeared after he finished his plate and hadn't come back yet. Naruto and Ino lay in bed, content after yet another round of fun. Naruto, trying to get his strength back and Ino wondering how their life would be now. A loud boom outside the window made both jump out of bed and they ran to the door and poked their heads out, seeing that Hikaru had done the same. Throwing on some pants and whatever shirt he could grab, they all ran downstairs and out into the large backyard, where a wide-eyed Sakura and her children stood by Genmaki. Across from them, stood three large foxes and all had eight tails.

**King Naruto it is a pleasure to finally meet you. We are the council of the vulpine kingdom and we have come to fetch you so that you may serve the realm. We have heard that you have a few concessions before you do however and we have much to discuss.**

Naruto sighed and relaxed visibly. At least it wasn't an enemy invasion.

"Very well honored councilmen. Come inside and we shall discuss what we shall do. And stay off the couch, I don't want you shedding any fur on it."

The three foxes looked at each other and burst out laughing.

**Genmaki was right about you. You are an interesting choice for king. This shall be a most entertaining night, we can already tell.**

Naruto just grinned and walked back into the house, calling over his shoulder.

"You'll find I can do more than just crack jokes, councilman. Much, much more."


	12. Chapter 12

I know, I know. I kept you guys waiting a while. But isn't it always worth it in the end? I believe that anticipation is more exciting than the actual thing you are anticipating. Whenever you finally get to the good part, it's still good, but oh the possibilities of what could have happened or what could have gone different. Ah well. Hope you like it anyway. And remember, I like suspense. If something is unanswered now, it will probably be answered or described in future chapters. Wink, wink. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you. Peace.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Naruto and Ino sat on the couch, with the vulpine council facing them, sitting on pillows that Naruto had thrown down. Sakura and the children were instructed to wait in her house on the grounds. The foxes were not very impressed with this display and one let it be known that the vulpine stood on ceremony. Even the old Kyuubi had been a stickler for tradition and pomp. Naruto glared at them and shook his head.

"I'm sorry to inform you, honored council members, but I do not stand on ceremony. I may have been born of noble blood, but I was not raised a nobleman. I lived alone my whole life, I had no one to love me, and everyone ignored me. I don't like pomp and circumstance, I don't like formalities, and I don't like it when someone tells me that tradition outweighs what is right. Do not presume that I will stand by what has been done for so many years. I will do what is right for my people, nothing more, nothing less."

**You see honored council members? Lord Naruto is the best choice we could possibly want for king. He is kind and wise, strong and firm. I believe…**

At this point the large white fox growled at Genmaki, who flattened his ears and tucked his tail.

**Do not speak out of turn here Genmaki. Your opinions have already been duly noted. You were only to observe the prospective king, not befriend him. I feel your judgement has been clouded. We let you carry your post too long.**

A loud, guttural growl was heard to the front of the vulpine council and they turned to see a very irate Ino and a fuming Naruto with glowing blue eyes. His tails swished angrily and his whisker marks, teeth, and fangs had become undeniably pronounced. Even in the dead of night, people could feel the unbridled anger rolling off the vulpine king. The pressure he was emitting was suffocating and the council in front of him were terrified. Without changing to his fox form, Naruto's voice deepened.

**You will NEVER speak to a friend of mine in such a manner. He has stood by me since my ascension to king and you will respect him the way you respect me. If you believe me unsuited for being your king, then by all means, piss off and go away. But know this. This power is mine and if you try to seal it away, I will come down upon you with a terrible vengeance. I have dealt with a pompous council once already in my mortal life and I shall not deal with one in my own realm. If you do not like this, then tell me now, and we shall do something about it.**

The blue furred fox stepped forward and bowed its head respectfully.

**We meant no disrespect Lord Naruto. It is just that Genmaki is only a five tail. He does not have the wisdom or privilege to speak here unless spoken to.**

"Then I will give him the privilege. My mate is only a two tail. Does this mean that she as well must hold her tongue when something needs to be said? Your tails do not belie your knowledge. They only signify your status and power. The lowliest commoner can have the best sense and the noblest blood. Fools are born to all lines, but the truly noble and greatest of us all work for their status. Under my reign, the foxes will prosper, not because they look down their noses at those beneath them, but because those willing to work for their station will be rewarded greatly. If I deem a fox worthy of more power, I will grant them such. I will not deny even a commoner a chance at happiness because they were born of low station."

The gray fox stood and bowed.

**So, Lord Naruto, what you are saying is that as regent you will bring all classes together? That is foolhardy. It will never work.**

"And why not councilman?"

The white fox spoke again.

**Because the class system is there for a reason. It is there to show who are the betters and who holds the lowest of blood. The upper class rules because we are fit to rule. The lower class serves because that is what they are born to do.**

"Then as soon as I get to the realm, I will break those barriers down. I have seen what 'class' and 'pure blood' can do to the will of humans. I will not have my people be subjected to those horrors any longer. I have seen a family torn asunder by the absolute fanatic need to preserve the pure blood. I have seen a family murdered in cold blood because one thought himself better than all the rest and wanted to 'test' himself. I will repeat, I will not let this happen on my watch."

The white fox looked at Naruto with his eyes aflame with anger.

**And you would have us do what? Let the commoners run amuck? Have their own traditions and make them equal to us? My clan has been among the elite for eons kit. I would not presume that the council would let you waltz in and change our traditions and ways of life simply to satisfy your own need to be accepted. This is not how a king rules.**

"So you would have me rule through fear? Fine, I can do that too."

Before anyone could make a move, Naruto had charged across the room and pinned the white fox to the wall by his throat, his eyes blazing and his claws extended, his voice once again demonic. All but Ino looked on in shock. She merely thought the pompous fox was getting what he deserved.

**Now see where your station gets you? I don't respect those who don't deserve it. You don't deserve my respect nor will you remain on this council if you keep acting high and mighty. If you are as wise as you say you are, you will hold your tongue and act as a councilman should. You will act for the benefit of your people, not yourself. This is how the new kingdom of the vulpine will be led. All are equal or none have freedom. You have chosen me for the job; now let me perform my duty.**

Genmaki was beside himself. On one hand, he was shocked that someone had defied the council. Not even the previous Kyuubi had taken the council head on. On the other hand, he was ecstatic. His new king had just proclaimed that the vulpine would all be equal, no more class, no more injustice because of a low birth. It was a good time to be a fox.

Ino was proud of her mate. He was exhibiting all the necessary qualities of a king. He would listen to the council members, but he was a man of the people. Always had been, always will be. He hated injustice, he hated piousness, and he hated blue bloods. This white fox had just dug his own grave.

The other two council members were in shock. Even the previous Kyuubi had cowtowed to them when pressed. This new monarch would obviously rather fight them tooth and nail than give into their demands. They were both of the upper middle class of the vulpine. High enough to be granted a council position if they showed enough intiative, but still of low enough blood to be looked down upon by the highest of the foxes. Perhaps, just maybe, their new monarch would prove beneficial to the people. The blue fox stepped forward.

**Lord Naruto, please put the elder councilman down. If he spoke out of turn, let him make amends and put things right.**

Naruto didn't turn around. He kept the white fox against the wall with one hand and addressed the blue fox.

**What is your name?**

The blue fox started at this. No one had ever asked a council member for their name.

**My…my name is Kazuma. Kazuma of the Ebon Forest. Why do you ask?**

**Because I would know the names of my subjects. And your fellow councilman?**

The gray fox replied in kind.

**My name is Hinamori of the Golden Plain. No Kyuubi to our knowledge has ever asked the names of the council. Why is it important that you know our names?**

**Because I wish for you to trust me and believe in my cause. I want to create a kingdom where all are equal and everyone prospers, not a place where the wealthy and strong make the destitute and weak serve them. The strong exist so that they may serve the weak. For even the weakest of body can have the strongest mind. Even kings need advisors that have more than muscle. And I apologize, _councilwoman, _not recognizing your gender beforehand.**

Hinamori and Kazuma pondered on this and were suitably satisfied with how their new regent acted. They had never been ones for holding down the lower classes, but were the youngest on the council and were expected to hold their tongues. Hinamori spoke.

**Very well. We will trust you. What of the elder councilman though? What will you do with him?**

**I believe in second chances for some. He made a bad first impression but I will allow him a chance to prove himself. I will not put up with any nonsense on his part though. He will not seek to subjugate our people or I will end it swiftly. I will not have dissension in the ranks.**

Naruto narrowed his eyes and lowered the elder to the floor gently, where he bounded away and back to his cushion.

**Insolent kit, do you know who I am?**

**No but you're going to tell me.**

**I am Ginjo of the White Crown. My clan is the elite among the vulpine. I will not be slighted by one who thinks he is above me.**

Naruto walked to the fox and looked him in his eyes with a glare that made everyone shudder.

**By your class system, elder one, I am above you. My blood runs thicker than yours and by all rights I should kill you here for slighting me. Just because you think you are noble I am supposed to bow to you? I think not. Since you stand so firmly on tradition…tell me Hinamori, Kazuma, what happens, traditionally, when someone insults the king or threatens the king?**

The two foxes looked at one another and wondered at their monarch's ingenuity. He had just turned the table on the elder councilman by using his own love for tradition against him. Kazuma offered his thoughts.

**Well, Lord Naruto, by law it is your right to kill him where he stands. None may slight the monarch, not even a high council member. What will you do now?**

Naruto, who had never took his eyes off the white fox, smirked when he saw the flicker of fear in the old fox's eyes.

**Since he stands so strongly upon tradition, since he seeks to uphold his honor as a nobleman, I believe my first order as regent will be to have him combat the strongest of the so called lower class.**

The white fox leered at his new monarch, the fear now totally gone.

**Ha, you seek to punish me like that? The strongest of the lower class is simply a five tail like Genmaki. Surely you don't mean to make me fight him?**

The feral grin that passed onto Naruto's face sent shivers down the spines of all present.

**Of course not. Since you seem to see me as beneath you, you shall fight…me.**

It seemed the room was a vacuum because all the air seemed to be sucked out of it when Naruto made his proclamation. The silence was broken by Ino's happy clapping and a snort from Genmaki. The white fox resembled a fish what with his mouth opening and closing.

**You…you can't be serious! I can't fight the monarch. It is against tradition unless the monarch feels…his…rule…has…been…encroached upon.**

**Exactly. You seem to think that you can rule better than me, so why not fight to prove that you are better than me? We shall fight tomorrow, in the realm, in front of all the people, at full power, to prove who's ideal is right. Tradition or change, a corrupt class system designed to keep the people in check or a system that favors everyone and gives all the people a chance to excel.**

**You insolent little worm. How dare you presume that you are more powerful than me. I am an eight tail and have fought many battles against our enemies. My power is without compare. I was almost able to beat the previous Kyuubi. What makes you think that you, a youngling, can beat me, whether you are the Kyuubi or not?**

**I can beat you for the exact reason that I am young and am not the Kyuubi of old. I am better and I will show you my power when we fight. You, elder, will go and announce your battle to the people. Tell them to come and watch as you wipe the floor with the new king. Let them regale in your power. Go now.**

The old fox merely smirked and left to tell the kingdom of the battle tomorrow. Naruto smiled and turned back to the other two council members.

"Now that the pompous ass is gone, I would like to ask the two of you what you think. Do you think I will be a good king or will our people hate me for trying to change our kingdom?"

Hinamori and Kazuma were dumbstruck at their new king. Hinamori was the first to regain her senses.

**Lord Naruto was that wise? The elder is very strong and he wasn't simply boasting when he said he could almost take on the previous Kyuubi in battle. I think you should withdraw your challenge.**

"Come now Hinamori, have you so little faith in me already? I'm hurt."

**It's not that we don't trust you Lord Naruto, it's just that Hinamori and I don't know your abilities. I'd rather not have you die and the elder become king. I don't know you but I'd rather have an evil I don't know than an evil I do.**

"Sigh…Genmaki do you trust me on this?"

**With my life and on my honor. I would follow Lord Naruto to hell and back. If he believes he can beat the elder, I believe him. Heh heh, I've learned never to go against him on a challenge. He always wins.**

**Be that as it may Genmaki, I just don't know.**

Ino made herself known to them at this point.

"If my husband says that he will beat him, he will beat him. Tell me how big is this Ginjo in his full form?"

**He is at least the size of the previous Kyuubi.**

"Then Naruto will defeat him soundly. My husband is twice the size of the previous Kyuubi. And though we are young, we also have battle experience. Naruto has come closer to death than most ever will and he crawls back from death's door each time, stronger and wiser for the experience. My husband will win."

"And on that note, we shall go to the kingdom tonight. Ino, I'm sorry, but I need you to stay here and watch over everyone. There's no telling what our enemies in the village will try to do if we both left. While I'm gone I expect Tsunade to move into one of the other houses on the grounds or to move in with Sakura. Either will do."

He crossed the room and took her in his arms, holding her tight. She leaned into the embrace and shared a kiss with him.

"Forgive me, my queen, but I go to secure our kingdom. I'll return to you with good news. Try to have some for me too. Goodbye and tell Hikaru I love him."

"I will. Goodbye Naruto. I love you."

"I love you too. Alright guys, let's go."

Holding onto Genmaki they disappeared into the realm of foxes.

Ino watched with tear filled eyes. 'Please Naruto, come home safe.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto felt his feet touch on solid ground again and opened his eyes. He had expected open fields and instead found a vast city filled with foxes of all colors and sizes. There were old, wizened foxes lounging in the sun. There were small kits frolicking in the fields outside the town. There were merchants and vendors hawking their wares. Before anyone could see him, Naruto transformed into his fox form. The others looked at him questionably.

**I don't want my people thinking I'm too different from them just yet. I want them to trust in me first. After the fight I'll reveal who I am. Until then, I wish to walk among them as a normal fox. Let them think I am a dignitary and we shall see what happens.**

The others nodded to his desires and they walked through the city. Naruto watched as the foxes bowed to the two council members and seemed to smile when they saw Genmaki. When they looked at him though they were perplexed. They had never seen him before and all the council and nobles were well known so that you didn't slight them. He took notice of the looks and the hesitant nods and bows that he received. He stored that information for later. Then his ears picked up a conversation he had been waiting to hear.

**Have you heard of the challenge that happens tomorrow? The new king and the elder councilman will do battle. It should be a most interesting match.**

**I hope the new king is better than the old Kyuubi. I at least hope he wins over the councilman, our lives would be miserable if he won.**

**I agree. Oh, here comes some council members. Be polite.**

Naruto watched as the two gossiping foxes bowed politely, earning a glare from the two council members. Once they were past, Naruto turned to Hinamori.

**What was all that about? Does the council instill such fear that they demand respect even in passing?**

**We merely wish respect for our position. Is that not so much to ask?**

**No, I admit, it is not. However, what happens if they don't show the proper respect?**

**Then they are punished. All we require is a quick bow or nod to show respect. I don't see what…oh, now I see. Sigh…yes, some of the council abuse this privilege and try to bend the public to their will. It is one of mine and Kazuma's worst shames. We are the youngest of the council and cannot do much about it. But…maybe with you we can…change that.**

**I'll see to it personally.**

The walk continued in silence until they came to the palace. Naruto's eyes bugged out when he saw his new abode. It was enormous. Obviously, the previous Kyuubi liked to rest in his full form. He turned to Genmaki.

**I don't want to stay here tonight. Let me sleep at your place.**

The council members were appaled by this. Before they could argue, Naruto quieted them.

**Look, Genmaki has been a guest in my home for years now. The most I can do is grace his home. Besides, he is my friend and I expect him to invite me over every now and then.**

Genmaki smiled and looked at the council members. If he didn't know better, he could see shock and…was that a hint of jealousy? He was going to live a long and happy life. His smile turned into a feral grin. With his king beating a council member his life got a whole lot better, especially since the old asshole tried to belittle him constantly.

**I would be honored to have you in my home Lord Naruto. My wife and children would be happy to meet you. I have told them much of you.**

**Perfect. Let us go there then. Hinamori, Kazuma, thank you for your help. Let the masses know that the battle is at noon tomorrow. If you need me I will be at the residence of Genmaki.**

With a nod of his head, he and Genmaki strode off to rest. Tomorrow would be a busy day. Hinamori and Kazuma watched them and turned, nodding to each other. Tomorrow would be an interesting day indeed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Naruto and Genmaki arrived at Genmaki's house, Naruto was amazed at how plain his friend's house was. It was small and while it was comfortable, he knew that Genmaki deserved better. Naruto resolved to fix that little problem. He noticed Genmaki had stopped and had taken a deep breath.

**Please, Lord Naruto, do not look unkindly upon my home. It is small and not worthy of a king, but it is cozy and my wife keeps it clean. I hope you are at least comfortable.**

**Do not worry Genmaki. I am sure that all accommodations will be fine. Now then how about introducing me to the missus and the children?**

**Of course Lord Naruto.**

After all introductions were made and Naruto had met Genmaki's lovely wife, Cherise, and his three kits. The kits fell in love with him immediately and were soon snuggled up beside him. He smiled and looked at Genmaki and Cherise.

**Should I show them my true form Genmaki? They won't be too shocked will they?**

**I don't believe so my Lord. I think they will find you more lovable if you do. They have never seen a form such as yours.**

Cherise turned to her husband, highly confused.

**Husband, what do you mean? If Lord Naruto turns into his full form, our house will be demolished.**

**That would be true Cherise, if Lord Naruto had always been a demon. I never told you, but Lord Naruto was once a mortal man, a human and therefore can access his full power in both his human and fox form. He simply prefers his human form.**

**Really? That would be interesting. I've never seen a human before, only heard about them in legend. Aren't they supposed to look like hairless apes?**

She heard Naruto laugh and the kits looked up at him as he stood and moved away from them. They were slightly perturbed that their warmth had disappeared but were spellbound as flame engulfed him and he appeared before them in his human form, clad in his 'Forsaken Samaritan' clothing, with his tails waving proudly and his ears twitching. The children and Cherise were dumbfounded. That is until the kits natural curiosity kicked in and they scampered up to Naruto, asking him question after question. He answered them all and then sat down with his legs crossed in the middle of the floor and let the kits clamber over him, while he scratched their ears and rubbed their fur. They purred in contentment while Cherise sniffed him, trying to find any deception. Genmaki merely watched with amusement, trying not to laugh at his wife and children.

Naruto finally decided to change back to his fox form, to the chagrin of the children, who had begun to drift off to sleep while he rubbed their fur. He made up for it though by keeping them warm at night. He offered to babysit while Genmaki and Cherise had a night off. It wasn't often that he got to be of much use to Genmaki so he tried to make up where he could. He thought of it as payback for watching Hikaru. Content to just be warm while the kits curled against him, he went to sleep, thinking of the next day and dreaming of his family at home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The morning came too quickly for Naruto and the kits. Genmaki woke them all with a whack of the tail (earning a harsh tongue lashing from his wife for striking the king. When he told her how he puniched the king's son, she nearly fainted) and Naruto got up grumbling. He didn't want to leave his dream about Ino, but he had to prepare himself for the battle ahead. After a brief meditation to calm his nerves, they left the house and headed for the field where the battle was to take place.

It was enormous and there had to be over a million foxes there, all waiting to see their new king and the elder fight. There hadn't been a battle of this magnitude in ages and no one wanted to miss it. Especially with the ramifications it could mean if the new monarch lost. Everyone who had that thought shuddered and quickly shook their bodies to relieve themselves of the horrid thought. They watched as Genmaki and an unknown fox approached the council and a widely grinning Ginjo.

**So Genmaki, this is Uzumaki Naruto, our new king? He doesn't look like much.**

Genmaki saw the grimace on Naruto's face and quickly spoke to end the tension.

**This is he. I place my life in his hands and my trust in his reign.**

**Very good. Let us get this over with. Councilman Ginjo, Lord Naruto, proceed to the battlefield. The battle is over when one dies or gives up. Begin when ready.**

Naruto and Ginjo padded to the middle of the battlefield and stood facing each other. He heard Genmaki yell for everyone to stand back and the mass of foxes made a ring around the battlefield. With their superior vision, they could watch the battle from afar and still see perfectly. Naruto motioned for Ginjo to go first as he was the elder of the two.

Ginjo smirked and began his transformation. He always loved to show off his power and it was never more evident than when he could take his true form. Normally the foxes kept their full power in check, since it wouldn't do to have mega foxes running amuck. Naruto watched while the white fox grew to monumental sizes until he truly was as big, if not a little bigger, than the previous Kyuubi. The old fox roared with laughter as he looked at Naruto's face from in the clouds.

**Now then young one, are you scared yet of my fearsome might? Do you see why you should respect one who has been around longer than you and seen more battle than you ever will?**

**Tell me old one. How far will your shame go when I grind you into the ground? To lose to one so young as me and yet I am more powerful than you ever were in your prime.**

**I am in my prime you young fool. A fox demon only gets stronger as the years go on. Every day we wake up we are in our prime.**

**Then I have nothing to look forward to except an eternity of unmatched power. Let me show you what I mean old fox.**

To the wonderment of all present, Naruto began to grow and grow, past Ginjo into the stratosphere. Where in the mortal realm, he had been three times the size of GamaBunta, here he was twice the size of Ginjo. All eyes were wide as they looked at their new king. Ginjo was livid. The size of a demon was the size of their power, and if this was any indication, Naruto was twice as powerful as him.

**Do you see now old one? You should not have insulted me. Tell me, old one, what would you do if I told you this was not my true form?**

**I would call you a liar. There is no way you can become bigger.**

**You're right. But I can become smaller. I would like to fight you in my real true form. I believe that being defeated by me when I am smaller will be sufficient enough to humble you significantly.**

Without another word, Naruto began to shrink until he was back in his normal form. He then let loose a burst of his power, erupting his body into flame, until he stood before them clothed in his 'Forsaken Samaritan' outfit, his blue eyes seeming to shine ethereally. He could hear the many whispers from his people as to how a mortal was their king and yet he had more power than the elder. Naruto looked up at the elder and smirked.

"Now then old one. Shall we begin?"

He heard the whispers again about how his voice had changed and he shut them out, to better focus upon Ginjo. The white fox let out a roar and tried to smash him with a paw. He deftly moved out of the way. Thus began a dodging game, with the elder trying to squish him and Naruto jumping out of the way, smiling the whole time. Ginjo began to get frustrated with his opponent. It had been nearly ten minutes and no one had landed a blow yet. He growled low and screamed out.

**Are you afraid to fight me boy? Are you that much of a coward?**

The masses felt a chill go through them as Naruto stood stock-still and looked at the ground. Seeing his opening, Ginjo raised his paw and brought it down full force onto the golden haired fox. He roared with laughter at his easy victory and the crowd fell silent, with down trodden faces. They knew what would happen if the old fox became the king. His laughter died in his throat however when he felt a pressure on his paw, that slowly built and built until it threatened to cut through. He leapt back and away, nursing his paw and looked at the still standing Naruto, who had wind whipping all around his body, making his clothing and hair dance in the hurricane force wind. All the vulpine looked in awe at their regent, who had taken on an otherworldly glow.

"Call me a coward will you? I have been called many things in my life Ginjo. Brat, weakling, demon, bastard child, MONSTER!!! I HAVE BEEN CALLED MUCH IN MY LIFE GINJO, BUT COWARD HAS NEVER BEEN ONE OF THEM!!!"

The vulpine watched in horror as Naruto blurred from existence and reappeared on top of Ginjo's head. He growled deep in his throat and charged a rasengan and drove it into the top of the white wolf's head. Ginjo howled in pain and rolled over, trying to crush Naruto with his weight. Naruto leapt into the air and came down hard onto the wolf's belly with a wind charge axe kick. It was becoming quickly apparent that Ginjo was outclassed in this match, even with Naruto a mere dust mite. Ginjo rolled to his feet as Naruto landed in front of him.

**How are you so powerful in that form? It shouldn't be possible.**

"I'm powerful because I have something to protect from assholes like you. I was going to let you live, but no one calls Uzumaki Naruto a coward. EVEN MY WIFE KNOWS BETTER!!!"

Deciding he had toyed with the old fox enough, Naruto began to channel all his power into his right hand. His whole body shook with power and the aura around him changed to a dangerous red. To all apparent their monarch was a terrible entity, one who brought down swift justice in a terrible way. He was more frightening than the previous Kyuubi and yet the children had no fear of him. Genmaki's children in particular were yipping and cheering for him. It was like he exuded a peaceful calm along with the killing intent. It was truly…scary and exhilarating.

The power in his right hand was excruciatingly painful and he knew he couldn't hold it forever. He watched as the ball took shape and the winds began to form it into a shuriken, spinning above his head. The old fox watched in horror as Naruto charged him, his fangs bared and shoved the rasen-shuriken deep into his chest, rupturing his heart. Everyone leapt back as the titanic body came hurtling down and once it had impacted with the earth, it shrank back to its normal size, its power no longer keeping it going.

Naruto turned to his people and gave them a small smile. He truly regretted killing the old fox, but he had learned that mercy, for people with narrow minds, was not something that could be afforded.

"My people, I am your king, Uzumaki Naruto. I was at one time a mortal man, the jailor of your previous king. He was sealed into me at birth and I lived my whole life hated because of it. I hated the Kyuubi, I despised him. Your monarch had no honor in my eyes and he attacked my village without provocation. Now I am the Kyuubi and there will be changes in the fox realm. I am sorry about killing the elder councilman but he was of the old guard and he looked down upon me and my ideals. I value, above all else, loyalty to one's country and one's ideals. All I ask from you, all of you, is that you help me to change the traditions of the kingdom to something that serves the whole realm and not just a select number."

He turned fully to them and lifted his blue eyes, and gave them a foxy grin. He truly looked like a fox, even in his human form, and the way he held himself let the vulpine know that he was a man of the people.

"So whaddya say? Help me out?"

His answer was a chorus of yips and howls, signifying their acceptance of him as their leader. Naruto's smile widened and he turned to the body of the now dead Ginjo. He saw several foxes gathering around it and he let the smile fall from his face.

"I assume you are all from the White Crown clan? I am truly sorry for his death. It was needless. If only he had listened to me…"

A large brown fox stepped forward and bowed low before Naruto.

**Do not worry Lord Naruto. We do not seek vengence. Ginjo was powerful but he was not the wisest of us. He felt that might made right and not all shared his viewpoint. To the end, might was all he understood. It never occurred to him that someone could overpower him in battle. I and my clan will follow you in whatever you desire. Hail Kyuubi!!**

**HAIL KYUUBI!!!**

Naruto basked in the adulation of his new people and walked into the city to his palace, to begin his new life as the king of the vulpine. Once the battlefield cleared and the foxes had all followed Naruto to listen to his speech, only Genmaki, his family, Hinamori, and Kazuma were left on the field. Genmaki had the biggest smirk on his face that a fox could have and turned his head to grin at the still gawking council members.

**See? Told ya so. Nobody beats Lord Naruto. Nobody.**

With that, he and his family left to go home. Hinamori and Kazuma stood like statues until Kazuma whispered into the wind.

**This will be a most interesting reign indeed. Hail Kyuubi**.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In her sleep, Ino dreamt of Naruto battling a giant fox. She cringed when it went to crush him and smiled when he defeated it, earning the love of his people. As she rolled to her side in her sleep, she scowled, missing the warmth of her husband. The only intelligible words one could understand in her sleep were:

"Come home soon Naruto. I love you and I miss you."


	13. Chapter 13

And here's Chapter 13. I get a kick out of how many people like this story. Already got over 53k hits to it. Awesome. You guys are pure awesome. Chuck Norris and Mr. T awesome. Anway enjoy. Readers, reviewers, thank you. Self high fives for everybody.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Naruto scowled as he sat on the steps leading to the throne. He didn't want the people thinking he was too high and mighty, so he sat on the top step and addressed them.

"Alright, let's set a few things straight. I'm not stupid enough to barge in and think I'm going to change everything at once, but there are going to be some changes. I lived in a ninja village, a military state, and I liked the system there. It needed some amendments here and there, but for the most part Konoha got it right. They have a class system there too, and its complete bullshit. Favoritism is one of my biggest peeves and I will not tolerate it here. Blood means nothing to me. If you are strong you are strong, if you are smart then you are smart."

"I don't believe that any one person is better than the next. In my younger days I would run around spouting how much better I was than everyone else. I was a fool. There were plenty better than me. Here, in my kingdom, all will have a chance to be of importance. I won't have a class system that keeps bright and promising minds and bodies down. All will have a chance or none will."

The murmur that passed through the gathering of foxes was audible. If they didn't have a class system, how were they to tell who was important and who wasn't? Naruto caught some of the worried whispers and knew they came from the upper class.

"Do not fear. Those who consider themselves noble can still have their noble blood. But no longer will those of supposed 'inferior' blood be relegated to mere servants or slaves. In my army, those of strong body will be warriors and shall fight for our causes or the cause of our summoners. Those with sound minds will be advisors and strategists. Our people will unite in a way never before seen to the vulpine. Is this acceptable?"

The council stepped forward and sat at the bottom of the steps, Kazama and Hinamori on each end and a large red fox in the middle. The red fox was obviously older than the other two and as such was the spokesperson.

**Lord Naruto, these are admittedly good ideas, but how can you keep a class system and still have equality? If someone is noble then they will always be better than someone of ignoble blood.**

"That might be true. But I don't believe so. I have friends back home, who came from no name houses. Rock Lee, Haruno Sakura, TenTen, they all came from no name houses or were orphans. But they are excellent shinobi, held in the highest esteem even though their blood does not wax noble. If one of the lower class shows aptitude or ability, we should not suppress it, we should encourage it. If we deny anyone the chance to better themselves then we are cutting off our noses to spite our own faces."

**But what of the servants? What of the workers? What will happen to our quality of life?**

"Your quality of life should not change. I merely wish to beef up our military and make our people knowledgable. Tell me, do all the children know of the illustrious history of the vulpine?"

**No, the lower class children do not.**

"That will be rectified. I want to put up a library of our accomplishments and let the children and any who seek knowledge be able to access it. The vulpine are a proud race, a proud people, but over the years you have fallen to the side because of a terrible ruler and isolationalism. You have sanctioned yourself off from the rest of the demon realms and for what? To be left alone? To not know what goes on in the world outside? This must be changed."

**Very well. I find the idea intriguing at least. What of our summoners? I know that you have let some mortals sign the contract that has not been used for eons. Who has it and are they trustworthy?**

"Indeed they are. The signers are my wife and my son. I wish to let the children of my ex wife sign as well, if only to protect them from their asshole of a father. I have offered our services as the protectors of Konoha and I expect you all to serve in times of need. The contract will be passed down through my son's family and it will be an heirloom."

**Your son? What need has your son for the contract if he is a fox?**

Naruto looked sadly down upon the crowd and a small smile adorned his face.

"My son is mortal, elder. He was born when I was mortal and he will die before me. My wife is of demonic blood now though and our children will be demon. But Hikaru is flesh and blood mortal, and so shall his children be. I only ask that you serve him if he calls."

**We shall without hesitation. I am sorry that your son is mortal. It is a difficult thing that no parent should have to go through, watching their child die before them.**

"Yes I'm sure it will be difficult but I shall cross that bridge when I come to it. Now then, that is all I wanted to talk about at the moment. I would like to wander my kingdom for the moment and mingle with my people. We will discuss the terms of how I want to implement these changes later. For now, everyone just relax and enjoy time with your families. And if you see me, at least say hello."

The crowd chuckled and began to disperse. Their monarch would indeed be interesting. Genmaki strode forward and climbed the steps, sitting to Naruto's right.

**What will we do now Lord Naruto? You seem to have the support of the people, but can you make your plans carry through? Can we succeed in this endeavor?**

"We can my friend. We can indeed. I'm going to survey my kingdom now. I want you to check back in on Hikaru and Ino. Make sure Sasuke hasn't tried to pull anything funny ok?"

**Hai my Lord.**

Naruto watched as Genmaki transported himself back to the mortal plane. He stood and stretched. It was time to make some rounds and maybe visit the toads.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Genmaki arrived on the grounds outside the Uzumaki household in the middle of the day. No one was around and he couldn't sense or smell anyone in the house. It seemed odd to him and he didn't like the feeling it gave him. He'd never gone to the fox realm and not come back to find Hikaru or Ino. It was disturbing. Catching a scent, he ran off toward the marketplace. Perhaps he'd find them there.

As he ran through the market, he looked frantically for his young charge. His thoughts quickly turned to his two other charges and he swore to himself that he'd get them some guardians as soon as possible. With their father on the loose it wouldn't do to have them unprotected. Catching a scent he began to sprint to the location of the smell. What he saw made his blood boil. There, standing in front of his master's family, was the so-called Hokage, with a group on ANBU behind him. His queen stood in front of the children alongside his master's ex wife. This certainly didn't look good. Hiding quickly, he listened in on the conversation, deciding to step in when needed. He heard the Uchiha speak.

"If you know what's good for you, Uzumaki, you'll step aside and let me retrieve my children. They're mine to do with as I please and as your Hokage I suggest you do as I say. I'm prepared to use force."

Ino snarled and bared her fangs. She was a fearsome sight and when she began growling deeply in her throat, some of the ANBU took a step back. She flexed her fingers and cracked her knuckles.

"I don't think so Uchiha. These children are under the protection of the foxes and you have a restraining order against you if I remember right. Now run along like a good little Hokage before things get messy."

"Things will get messy if you don't let them come. Juugo, Karin, come here. I don't have time for this. Get over here now."

The two small children huddled behind Hikaru, who stood defiant to the Hokage. He wouldn't let his siblings and playmates be taken by anyone. Sakura, it seemed, was so mad she was on the verge of tears.

"Sasuke, I put a restraining order against you. You can't come near me or the kids. Go away and leave us alone."

Sasuke smirked and pulled a scroll out of his pocket.

"It's amazing the things you can do as Hokage, especially when you have the council on a short leash. I abolished that restraining order and can move freely as I will. Those children are mine and will be raised and taught to be true Uchiha. I won't have them taught by an ignorant bitch or a fox whore. Now you two get over here."

Ino was shaking, literally shaking with fury. She had to do something before this got out of hand. Calming herself with a deep breath, she gazed hatefully into the Uchiha's eyes.

"Juugo, Karin, do you want to go with your father?"

Two simultaneous shakes of the head were her answer.

"Do you want to stay with me and your mother?"

Two rapid nods were her answer.

"There. Sasuke, these children don't want to be near you. You frighten them. I'm asking you as a human being and a father to leave them alone."

"They are mine. My flesh and blood and mine to do with as I please. ANBU, take them by force."

Ino immediately went into the vulpine stance that Naruto taught her and growled low in her throat.

"Don't you fucking move."

The ANBU weren't sure what to do. They didn't want to disobey the Hokage, but Ino was a demoness now and could probably rip them apart. The two children in question were apparently under the protection of the new Kyuubi and his mate and it wouldn't be good for them to be taken by force. One ANBU shuddered at the thought of what Naruto would do if he heard that the small Uchiha children had been taken against their will. It wouldn't be pretty. The ANBU leader stepped forward and bowed before his Hokage.

"Uchiha-sama, I'm sorry but I can't let my men get involved in a domestic affair. It would be unseemly."

"So you're telling me that you won't do what I say?"

"Not in this instance, no."

"You're demoted. Now leave my sight."

The ANBU shifted and balled his fists.

"You can't demote me for something trivial like this. This is unfair Uchiha-sama."

"I don't care. I'm the Hokage. I have the power. You're demoted. The rest of you grab my children."

A shout of 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' rang out and Genmaki was pulled immediately to Hikaru's side.

"Genmaki! Oh, I am so glad to see you."

**Indeed Master Hikaru. What seems to be the problem?**

"The Hokage is trying to take Juugo and Karin away from us."

**That will not happen. I shall see to it personally.**

The ANBU were even more nervous now. Not only was the queen of demon foxes in front of them but now a five tailed fox stood before them too. To make matters worse, this would definitely get back to Naruto. The day couldn't get any better. Ino could see them fidgeting and decided to cash in on their nervousness.

"If you don't leave now, I'll summon Naruto and he'll definitely take care of this. Remember, Sasuke, we swore to protect Konoha and its people first. We swore no loyalty to the Hokage. And if you persist in this line of thought, we'll pack up and move to Suna. I'm sure that Gaara would love to have Naruto as one of his country's summons."

Sasuke growled and turned around, his robes billowing in the wind.

"This isn't over. Not by a long shot. Your husband can't protect you forever and I'll have my revenge. I'll get my legacy back."

Without another word or look back, he strode off toward the Hokage tower, leaving a less stressful Ino and Sakura, and a few remorseful ANBU. The former leader took his mask off and bowed to Ino.

"My Lady, I am sorry for what transpired here today. If only your husband had become Hokage instead of him, we would be better off. Of this I have no doubt. My only shame in living in this village is that our leaders have become so corrupt. I apologize for everything that happened here today."

"Do not apologize for things outside your control. You made the right decision. I'm only sorry that it cost you your position."

The unmasked ANBU merely smiled and put his mask back on.

"A position is worthless if you don't have honor. Taking those children by force and against their will would have been a huge mistake. I won't subject them to that thing that calls itself a father. I have my own children and I hope they never act like that. I'd much rather they act like your husband."

Ino raised an eyebrow.

"You mean act like a demon?"

The ANBU laughed and turned away. He looked back over his shoulder before he leapt away.

"If acting like a demon means being a kind, loving, loyal person, then yes, I want my children to act like demons. I worked with your husband on a few missions my Lady, and he is not a demon in heart, only in body. Good day to you."

And with that he leapt off onto the rooftops. Ino turned back to the group with a smile, her tails waving happily.

"I think we should go back home before anything else happens today. We should tell Naruto when he returns about this little incident. And Hikaru?"

"Yes mom?"

"Thank you for summoning Genmaki. I didn't want to summon your father unless I had to. He might have been in a meeting with the council at the moment and it wouldn't look good if the queen can't take care of herself."

Genmaki kept silent until they were inside of the Uzumaki house again. He let the two women get situated with a cup of tea and the children went off to play.

**Actually, Lord Naruto wasn't in a meeting with the council. He's wandering the countryside at the moment, taking in your kingdom. The people, as far as I can see, love him already. He made one hell of an impression.**

"Oh? How so?"

**He killed the elder councilman for looking down upon him. He didn't want to, but what king can have his people looking down on him like he was rubbish? It wouldn't be good. He's making headway though.**

"He killed the elder? How?"

**I believe the term was 'rasen-shuriken'.**

Ino scowled when she thought of that jutsu. It brought back bad memories. Memories of Asuma's death and watching Naruto shred his arm to pieces.

"He knows better than to use that jutsu. It hurts him too much. Why didn't he just transform and fight the elder that way? He was much bigger than the elder."

**You must understand Lady Ino that as a fox grows older, they grow in power. Our bodies grow to accommodate this power. The forms you saw the council take are naught but transformed states. The elder, in all actuality, was as large as the Kyuubi who tried to destroy Konoha.**

"But Naruto's power is immense. He was as large as the Kyuubi here, maybe a little bigger. It wouldn't have been an easy fight."

Genmaki smirked and had to bite back a laugh.

**Lady Ino, you don't think that the form Lord Naruto took here was all his power do you?**

Sakura and Ino looked at each other quizzically. What in the hell was this loopy throw rug getting at? Genmaki, seeing their looks, decided to elaborate.

**That wasn't Lord Naruto's true form either. In truth, he is twice the size of the previous Kyuubi. His power is immense.**

Ino gaped at this. Was her husband really that powerful? She had been blowing smoke to the council that night when she said he was twice the size of the Kyuubi. It scared and exhilarated her all at once. Scared because he could kill her at a moment's notice. Exhilarated because he was all hers.

"But why didn't he let his full power be known?"

**What's the ninja saying? Look underneath the underneath? If the Uchiha believes that Lord Naruto is only as powerful as the previous Kyuubi, he will underestimate him, leading to his downfall. You, yourself, grow more powerful every day my Lady.**

"I don't feel more powerful. I was only as big as a Great Dane last time I transformed."

**True. But you only had one tail too. You'd probably be about the size of a small house now. Remember, my Lady, that you have been a demon for far less time than Lord Naruto. He has essentially been a demon all his life and as such, he was acclimated to the power before he ever changed. It's simply a matter of time before your body catches up to your status as queen.**

"Thank you Genmaki. Knowledge is power and all that. Now, care to tell me why you were hiding in the alleyway back there and not helping us?"

Genmaki lowered his ears and whined piteously. He had hoped that his queen hadn't noticed him in all the hubbub.

**I didn't want to interfere with something I knew nothing about. I had only recently arrived and was searching for you frantically. I thought something was wrong. You all handled yourselves admirably however. I would like to talk to Lord Naruto about getting the Uchiha children some fox guardians though. Perhaps some three tails. I'm the first fox besides the Kyuubi and the council to come to the human realm in quite some centuries after all. Most think it's a legend.**

"Tell me. What did my people think of Naruto's human form?"

**The children loved it. They thought it was the coolest thing they had ever seen. I believe my children actually called him a 'hairless ape' and asked if he was a relative of Enma, the monkey king. Luckily, Lord Naruto has a good sense of humor.**

Ino smiled at this and thought fondly of her absent husband.

"It's not in Naruto's nature to be angry at children for acting like children. He didn't have much of a childhood himself. Most of the time he loves to join the children in playing. It makes him feel young again."

**I know how he feels. My children didn't want him to leave the house. They were quite taken with him. I believe I should leave and ask for him to assign some guardians to Juugo and Karin. Perhaps you should have a fox too Sakura. Tsunade as well. I shall find out. Excuse me Lady Ino.**

Ino merely waved her hand and Genmaki disappeared to the fox realm. Sakura turned to her friend in awe, amazed that she handled all that so well.

"Ino, how do you handle that kind of news like it was nothing?"

Ino smirked and took a sip of her tea.

"Sakura, my husband is the king of all the foxes, I'm a queen, Lee can actually use a jutsu, and my stepson is the heir to a contract that hasn't seen human hands for eons. What's there to be surprised about anymore?"

Sakura sipped her tea and thought on that. Shrugging it off, she wondered what color fox she might get.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Genmaki appeared behind his king, who was currently in the process of playing with several fox kits in a meadow. The kits ignored him, preferring to sniff and jump all over and around Naruto, who lay on his back watching the clouds. His ears twitched when he heard Genmaki crunching the grass beneath him.

"Whatcha need Genmaki? I take it everything is ship shape in the human realm?"

**Actually, the Uchiha tried to take his children by force.**

Naruto immediately shooed the kits off him, receiving several menacing growls of annoyance. He ignored them and turned to face his friend and advisor.

"What happened? Is everyone alright?"

**Do not worry. Lady Ino and Master Hikaru handled themselves admirably. Master Hikaru even had the presence of mind to summon me, even though I was there watching. I believe you may need to step up your assigning a fox to the Uchiha children. You may want to put foxes with Tsunade and Sakura too. It wouldn't be a bad idea.**

"You're probably right about that. Glad I thought of it."

Genmaki frowned at the poor sense of humor.

**I thought of that my Lord.**

Naruto grinned at his friend.

"Yeah, but as king, your ideas are my ideas, so whatever you get right, I get credit for."

**That's not fair.**

"Don't worry. At least I know you're smart…no matter what your wife says. Now, any suggestions as to who to assign to what person?"

**At least a three tail for each one. Some of the younger foxes would be best. They will bond to their charge well and will be loyal as long as they are treated with respect and dignity. Not like how Hikaru treats me.**

"Heh heh, he only treats you like that because you let him."

**Be that as it may, the little brat shouldn't pull people's tails. It isn't nice and I can't guarantee that the younger foxes wouldn't bite him.**

"I'll keep that in mind. Let's go find some volunteers. We'll be looking for bright and strong foxes. Ones that will suit the personality of the person they will be guarding."

They began their trek back toward the city. It would be difficult to locate foxes who were right for the right person. Naruto decided to go by personality. For Juugo, who was bold, he would need a fox that was humble, with a good head on its shoulders. They found that in a four tailed gold fox named Gin. With one added to their troupe they continued onward.

Karin was a shy girl, much like Hinata had been. No doubt because of the presence of an overbearing father who only pointed out her faults. They found in a park, a three tailed red fox name Shin, who was brimming with confidence and energy. Surely he would be able to bring the girl out of her shell.

Sakura was a tough one to think of. She would need a vixen (Naruto didn't want to run the risk of a perverted fox) and someone who could help her with the children. The group found that in a kindly five tailed fox name Megumi, who was watching over some kits in the park. She had none of her own and thought that watching over human children would be a wonderful experience. She agreed wholeheartedly.

The last and most difficult was Tsunade. She would need a vixen as well (same reasons as Sakura) but she needed one who could keep her cool and think straight. Tsunade was too ruled by her emotions, especially when she'd been drinking. Naruto was nearly in a fit since he couldn't find one. Genmaki had an idea though and the group streaked back to the park. There they found a four-tailed fox of an amber color playing shogi. Her name was Penni and Genmaki said she was the most intelligent fox he'd ever met. Flattered by the praise, she nonetheless turned them down until Naruto pulled his trump card.

"You like Shogi, yes?"

The amber fox nodded.

"What if I said I had a master shogi player in Konoha, the likes of which you'd never seen before?"

**I'd say you were bluffing.**

"If I said he was a genius?"

**Bluffing.**

"Fine. I don't have time for this. Shikamaru could kick your ass any day of the week at any strategy game anyway."

**ANY strategy game you say? Hmmm, perhaps I will go. But if he doesn't live up to expectations I shall abandon my post. It would be much too troublesome to stay there in the mortal realm.**

Naruto sweat-dropped when he heard this. 'Ye Gods, she's a female version of Shikamaru. Tsunade will love her.' Suddenly, a thought ran through his head and he spun around to face Genmaki.

"We need to go back to the palace. I need to check on something first."

**But Lord Naruto, we're not allowed in the palace. The rules…**

"Fuck the rules. You're all coming, so deal with it. I need to check on something and you're all going to help me."

After a short while in the disorganized library of the palace, Naruto had what he was looking for. With his troupe in tow, Naruto went back to the mortal realm.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino was brushing the tangles out of her tails when she heard a loud 'poompf' from the backyard and looked out the window to see Naruto, Genmaki, and four unidentified foxes. She leapt out the window and tackled her husband to the ground. The foxes all watched with amusement.

"Ino get off me. We have guests you know. At least act like a queen."

The foxes eyes all went wide and they quickly bowed before her. One would think that they would have noticed the purple tails and ears but it's easy to miss when a blonde missile comes out of a window. Ino had the good grace to blush and tell them to stand up.

"Please don't bow before me. I still don't officially feel like a queen yet."

Naruto dusted himself off and looked up at the sky. It was dark out and the moon was hanging directly overhead. Ino noticed his confused look and asked him why he was staring like that.

"It was daytime when we left the fox realm. I wonder why that is. Does it take that long to travel between realms?"

**I've never noticed it Lord Naruto. Perhaps it does though.**

Ino saw fit to interrupt their musings by putting her hands on her hips and looking at them with her head cocked.

"Not that I mind having you home but aren't you early? You've only been gone four days."

Naruto gaped at her, his mouth wide.

"Four days? Ino, we've only been gone two days at the most. It's not possible."

"Well, I'm pretty sure I can read a damn calendar and see the sky changing from day to night and that's happened four times since you've been gone."

"I see…time must move more slowly in the fox realm. That may be the reason for longevity there."

**Indeed. We shall look into it later however. For now, we have a task to attend to.**

"Ah yes, thank you Genmaki. Ino, be a dear and fetch Tsunade, Sakura and the kids please."

"Why?"

"Because I have their guardians here."

Her mouth formed an 'o' shape and she took off to the guesthouse to wake the others. She returned shortly with a disheveled Sakura, sleepy Juugo and Karin, and a severly pissed off Tsunade. She hadn't been able to sleep soundly in years and now one of her best night's sleep gets interrupted. This better be good. Naruto noticed her frustration and decided to kick things off.

"Ok folks I've got something you'll enjoy. We'll start off with Tsunade, since she seems eager to get on with her beauty sleep, especially since she really needs it."

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY BRAT?!"

"Kidding, kidding. Alright, Tsunade, Penni, step forward please."

The two stepped forward and eyed each other with curiosity. Tsunade was about to reach out and rub the foxes head when it spoke.

**Please don't pet me. I don't know you well enough for that type of familiarity yet.**

"Well perhaps we should get to know each other better tomorrow. I'm tired and now I'm thirsty. If any of you need me, I'm going to get some sake and go back to sleep."

Penni cocked her head and asked politely.

**What is sake?**

Tsunade's eyes widened and she ran and hugged the fox around the neck.

"Oh you poor dear, you don't know the wonders of sake? Come with me, we'll rectify this right now."

As the two stalked off into the night, the only thing Naruto could think was 'too easy'. His next match was Sakura and Megumi, who walked forward and sniffed Sakura, causing the woman to stiffen. Megumi's head shot back in surprise before she sat back on her haunches in front of Sakura and addressed her with her soft voice.

**You smell faintly of Lord Naruto in a familiar sense. The young one with yellow and pink hair also smells of the two of you. Tell me, is he your child?**

"Yes, he is mine and Naruto's son."

**Really? I was under the impression that he was Lord Naruto and Lady Ino's son.**

"No, he is mine. I'm Naruto's ex wife."

**Ah, that is why you smell of him. I'm sorry if I dredged up bad memories.**

"Not at all."

**Tell me. If I serve and protect you, will you let me play with the kits and be near them? I do so love children.**

Sakura's face softened and her body seemed less tense. She smiled at Megumi and scratched the foxes ear, making her purr in contentment.

"Of course Megumi. You can play with them all you want. In fact, they play in the park with other children all the time. I guarantee you'll be a big hit."

**Thank you my Lady.**

Megumi followed Sakura back beside the children and lay down. Juugo stepped forward and the fox known as Gin strode forward and looked at his young charge. Juugo, being brash, let his feelings be known quickly.

"I'm not sure I want him. He looks lazy and stupid."

Gin, to his credit, took this in stride and whacked Juugo on the head with one of his tails. The impassive look never left his face.

**I can see we're going to have to work on manners with you. You are too impatient little one. You didn't even give me a chance to introduce myself. Lord Naruto, I have a lot of work ahead of me.**

Naruto chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. Gin simply picked Juugo up by the seat of his pants with one of his tails and sat beside Megumi, who scolded him for hitting the child. Gin just yawned and laid his head on his paws. He wasn't bored for long though, since Shin bounced forward, a ball of perpetual energy.

**Hey, hey, come one little girl, I want to meet you. Come over here.**

Karin was hiding behind her mother's legs and wouldn't have gone if Shin wouldn't have gotten bored and rushed over beside her, sniffing her up and down. Poor Karin just froze and looked terrified until Shin began to lick her face, tickling her. She couldn't hold her laughter in and was tackled to the ground while Shin used his tails and tongue to tickle her all over. Everyone watched the small sideshow until Shin let her up and the poor little girl caught her breath.

**There now, nothing to be afraid of see? I'm perfectly harmless. I think you and I are going to get along just fine. We'll work on your shyness first. Fanning your flames of youth will be easy with me as your guide and mentor.**

Everyone gaped in horror at what he had said. Naruto's thoughts were running overtime. 'Another Shikamaru I could take. An overly motherly fox I could take. Hell, a totally lazy version of an apathetic Gaara, I could take. But not another one of _those._'

"Shin, you are never to use the phrase 'flames of youth' ever again."

**But Lord Naruto, it would be most unyouthful of me…**

"That either. That's a new law."

**But the springtime of youth…**

"New law."

**But…**

"NEW LAW!!!"

Once Naruto had calmed down enough, he put the rest of his plan into motion.

"Alright, I want all of you to cut your palm and then cut the paw of your particular fox. This will bind them to you in this realm. But remember, these are your only familiars. You can't have any more; it's a one-time thing, so treat them with respect. Vulpine, be nice and get to know your new companions. You'll be in the mortal realm for quite a while so get acquainted with your surroundings ok? Now everyone get busy. And someone tell Tsunade to do this when she wakes up in the morning."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino and Naruto stood side by side, wactching the people and foxes go to their respective houses and beds. Naruto quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a kiss.

"I'm sorry Ino, but I have to go back now. I've been here too long as it is. I'll be back soon I promise."

"Ok. I wish I could go with you."

"Me too, sweetie, me too."

"What does our kingdom look like?"

"It's beautiful Ino. They'll love you there. No one else has fur like yours. You'll be a very popular little vixen."

"Do I have to go around in fox form?"

"No, I usually walk around in my human form. The kits love it when I do that. Now, I gotta go. I love you."

"I love you too."

As Naruto disappeared, Ino sighed and began her trek back to the house. She stopped about halfway, a tick mark above her head.

"Hey, why didn't I get a cute fox companion?"


	14. Chapter 14

And here's Chapter 14. Merry Christmas to all. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, then Bah-humbug to you. I'm going to try and keep all my stories updated a week at a time. So, if I updated today, check again a week from that day, something should be up. A day later at the most. Ok then, you guys enjoy. Peace on earth, goodwill to all men (and women).

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ino awoke from her slumber to the sound of several voices in her house. Wincing against the sunlight filtering in through the window, she pulled a pillow over her head in an effort to drown out the voices. No go. Her demonic senses were so elevated that the pillow wasn't doing anything but reducing it a couple decibels. Her ears pricked up when she heard the distinct demonice timbre coming from several of the voices. No doubt about it, that was Genmaki and his fox brethren, her subjects. With a small growl of frustration, she flung the covers back and threw on a robe. After tearing a small hole in the back so that her tails could poke through, she walked into the living room.

The sight of several different colored foxes and humans all conversing with each other was quite a sight. Sakura was giving a hung over Tsunade a cup of coffee while reprimanding her for drinking so heavily. Tsunade's vulpine companion was whining piteously and trying to cover her ears. She had never imbibed alcohol before and she wasn't taking it as well as Tsunade. Ino, upon seeing this, knelt beside Penni and put her fingertips to the fox's temples while emitting a small amount of chakra to relieve her pain. A small purr of contentment escaped the fox's throat and Ino smiled as she stood again. Penni looked up at her queen and bowed her head.

**Thank you Lady Ino. That was quite a painful experience. Such a pleasant drink should not have such an unpleasant aftereffect. I don't think I shall be trying it again anytime soon.**

"That's good Penni. Try to get Tsunade to ease up as well. We need her sober more often than not."

**Of course.**

"Tsunade, don't be a bad influence to my people. I don't want a bunch of fuzzy alcoholics stumbling around."

"Shut up Ino. I have a headache."

Ino just shook her head and sighed. She scanned the rest of the room and watched as the children played with Shin, who was weaving in and out between them in a small game of tag. Megumi sat on a couch off to the side with Genmaki beside her, both watching with the equivalent of a small smile on their faces. Gin had drug a table with a shogi board on it off to the side and was now trying to coax a hangover free Penni into a game. Hikaru had finally tackled Shin and they were engaged in a tussle that nearly broke one of her vases. Ino's eye twitched in annoyance. Hikaru knew better than to roughhouse in the house.

"Uzumaki Hikaru! Take your ass outside if you want to play rough. Juugo, Karin, Shin, that goes for you too. Now go play outside."

Four choruses of 'Yes ma'am' were heard and footsteps sounded their retreat to safer ground. Squeal of joy were heard soon after and Ino looked outside to see Karin riding Shin like a horse while Juugo and Hikaru tried to catch him. She smiled and made her way into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She sighed as she took the first sip. Ever since her demonic birth, everything had become more vibrant, more alive. Hell, even a morning cup of coffee could almost be orgasmic through taste alone. Realizing that Tsunade still hadn't bonded with Penni, she decided to get that over with. After a brief recollection of how to do it, she got the older woman and the reluctant fox to cut their respective appendages. While that went on she went back to her coffee until she felt Genmaki's eyes on her.

"Yes Genmaki? How can I help you?"

**I am sorry Lady Ino. I should have come sooner or done something sooner about the Uchiha. The guardians would not be necessary if I had eliminated him when I thought it best.**

"And do you think Naruto would have allowed you to do such a thing?"

**I…I don't know Lady Ino. It's just…I feel I could have done more.**

Tsunade had been listening to them while Sakura healed her hangover and decided to put her two cents in.

"Naruto isn't the type to kill needlessly Genmaki. I know you would do anything to protect Hikaru and your new charges but you have to realize you can't be there forever and you can't be there all the time. Hikaru is a resourceful little boy and with that fighting style Naruto and Lee are teaching him, he'll be a force to be reckoned with. Speaking of which, shouldn't he be joining the academy soon?"

Sakura nodded.

"Yes he'll be joining at the start of the year. I just hope that Sasuke doesn't try to do anything…unnecessary."

"He'd better hope he doesn't. I'll kill him myself. You'd better go watch the children Genmaki. Megumi has already gone outside."

**Of course Lady Ino.**

Once Genmaki was gone, Ino turned back to Sakura and Tsunade and took another sip of her coffee. She sighed and set the cup back on the table.

"It was part of mine and Naruto's plan to have me be Hikaru's jounin sensei when he graduated. He is already genin level though and probably low chuunin."

Tsunade looked up from her morning paper and blew some hair out of her face.

"So? What's the problem? He'll graduate no problem, we all know that."

"Yes, but I want Juugo and Karin on my team as well. I want them all where I can watch them at all times. Besides I'm the best teacher for them all and Naruto knows enough about the Sharingan to at least help them along if they unlock it. I want Hikaru to wait until we have Juugo and Karin up to genin level. It shouldn't take long, especially with Academy requirements being as low as they are. Kawarimi, a bunshin, and henge aren't that difficult and I'm sure that Sasuke forced history on Juugo and Karin."

"Yes, Naruto used to read histoy to Hikaru before I…left. He's very knowledgable. I think Naruto wanted him to be prepared and not have the 'education' that he had when he was younger."

Tsunade layed the paper on the table and tapped her finger on her chin.

"Well, let's go down and see what the children know. If we get an accurate assessment, perhaps we can have them all graduated by next year and continue to keep them training until they are ready for missions."

Ino clapped her hands and began to walk away to get dressed.

"Yes let's do that. At least we can set things in motion while Naruto's away. I think we'll all be pleasantly surprised by their advancement, especially Hikaru's."

Sakura, however, had misgivings about the situation.

"But what about Sasuke? Would he allow the children to all be put on the same team?"

"He is driven by pride. As long as there is no underlying motive that he senses, he shouldn't have a problem with it. Getting Iruka to make the suggestion that they would all make a good team would push things along. Besides, all that is necessary really is the test. As long as we find out what the curriculum would be, then we can grill the children on what to expect."

Sakura sighed and put her head in her hands.

"But we don't want other children thinking that our kids are privileged just because they didn't have to go through the academy. Tsunade, what's the shortest period of time that a student can go that would allow them to graduate?"

"At least one full term. Anything less isn't allowed."

"So, six months?"

"Mmmhmmm."

"We've got our work cut out for us. Let me get dressed and we'll get started today."

After a brief tussle, the three youngsters were rounded up and made to stand at attention. Tsunade bent down to their level and smiled her brightest.

"Ok kiddies, we have a propostion for you. Since Hikaru is the oldest, he should be attending the academy soon. Hikaru how old are you now?"

"I'm eight, but I'm going to turn nine soon."

"You should have already started the academy, but that's not important. What is important is that we want all of you on the same team so we're going to have to bring your skills up to academy standards. Hikaru, let's see what you can do. I'm going to create a kage bunshin and I want you to fight it in a taijutsu match, ok?"

"Ok grandma."

Tsunade made the appropriate handsigns and a copy of her popped into existence. Hikaru took his stance, legs slightly bent and his hands at his side, with fingers crooked. Tsunade dropped her hand to signal the match beginning and Hikaru sprang into action. He ran straight for the clone, his body low to the ground and made as if to sweep her legs out from under her. The clone leapt into the air and he pushed off the ground with his hands. The clone blinked in surprise when Hikaru went to plant his feet into her stomach, but caught his legs and swung him back toward the ground.

Hikaru caught himself on the ground with a handstand and began to twirl, kicking out with his feet while walking forward on his hands. Tsunade's clone was trying its best to keep the unorthodox little boy from landing a decisive blow, but it was becoming increasingly hard. He wouldn't give an inch and if his taijutsu was an indicator, then Naruto had taught him well. The clone decided to see what he would do if he was pushed back and sent a halfassed punch toward him. His response was to grab hold of her hand and swing around her arm to try a kick at her face. There was no doubt the boy had talent. The clone grabbed his ankle and held him upside down while he flailed and squirmed, before crossing his arms in a pout. The women all laughed at him and the clone sat him down before dispersing.

"Very good Hikaru. I didn't expect you to actually hit the clone of course but you did well nonetheless. That taijutsu style is very unique. Who taught it to you?"

"Unca Lee taught me the basics of Goken and then dad taught me flexibility and unpredictability. I combined the two and made my own fighting style. Unca Lee was very impressed."

"I see. And what did you decide to call it."

"I didn't name it, but Unca Lee called it 'Freeform'. He said it described it perfectly. I just know it works."

"Of course you do dear. Now then can you do any ninjutsu or genjutsu?"

"I can perform a cloaking genjutsu and I can dispel most. I know a few ninjutsu that daddy taught me."

"Such as?"

"Um, kage bunshin, kawarimi, I can do the henge pretty well, I guess that qualifies as a genjutsu though. I can do a few suiton jutsu and a couple of fuuton jutsu as well. Dad won't let me try the rasengan yet though."

"With good reason. You don't have the chakra capacity for that yet. You will eventually though. Has Jiraiya been teaching you anything?"

"No. Dad said he'd just try to use me to get women to like him, so I can't train alone with him."

"Your dad is pretty smart for an idiot. Alright then, Hikaru you're through. Juugo, come here."

Hikaru sat down beside Genmaki and Juugo stepped forward. Tsunade asked him what he could do.

"Well, father was teaching me the Uchiha style of taijutsu but it was hard and I couldn't do it right. He wouldn't teach me anything else so I'm not very good at taijutsu."

"Didn't Sakura try to teach you a taijutsu style?"

"Momma wasn't allowed to teach us."

"Is this true Sakura?"

An affirmative nod was her answer and Tsunade scowled. If Juugo wasn't proficient in a style then it would be easy to find a style for him. They'd need to get Lee involved since he knew so many. Karin likely wasn't much better off.

"Ok, what about genjutsu or ninjutsu?"

"Father wouldn't teach me until I mastered the taijutsu style."

"Well, we'll start work on you later today ok honey?"

Juugo nodded and walked back to his mother quite forlorn. He hadn't felt this helpless for quite a while. Tsunade asked Sakura if Karin had even been trained yet. She was told no. The women all sighed. This was going to be difficult. They had to get a six year old and a soon to be five year old up to speed and academy standards. Since Hikaru was up to standards already, they decided to start on the other two. Sakura and Tsunade took Karin while Ino and Hikaru took Juugo. Their respective guardians followed.

Karin stood timidly, not really knowing what to do. Sakura wasn't sure how they were going to break through her daughter's shyness, but perhaps Tsunade could do something. Tsunade put both hands on her hips and broke into one of her tried and true inspirational speeches.

"Karin, you can't afford to be shy and weak and timid anymore. You're a big girl now and you're going to have to start acting like it. I don't want any crying or sniveling while we train. Do you understand?"

Sakura's look was not a happy one after that little speech, but it was near close enough to the one Tsunade had given her years ago. Megumi and Shin didn't look very happy either. Tsunade was about to say more, when Shin strode forward and sat down on his haunches, looking Karin right in the eye.

**Listen to me little one. The world is not a pretty place sometimes and we have to do things that we don't want to do. Fighting is one of them. Now, I wish you and me could play all day long but we have to make it so that you can play at least sometimes. Fighting is the world you were born into and there is no escaping that. It's in your blood.**

Karin looked like she was about to cry and began to sniffle.

"But…but I don't want to get hurt."

**Then we will have to make it where you won't get hurt little one. We'll have to train and train until you can't be beat. Do not fear. I'll be right beside you the whole time.**

Karin wiped her eyes and looked up with hope filled eyes.

"You…you promise?"

**I promise.**

Tsunade and Sakura watched the event with small smiles on their faces. Perhaps Shin was a good guardian after all. He was already able to instill hope into the small girl. Karin turned to Tsunade and Sakura and bowed before them.

"Momma, Lady Tsunade, I am prepared to train. Show me what you can. I'll try to learn as best as I can."

**Well-said little one.**

Tsunade took a deep breath and looked at Karin.

"Alright, from this day forward you will train with your mother and me. We will train you in our style and teach you chakra control. Tell me, can you sense your chakra yet?"

"I think I can."

"Try to mold some for me."

Karin put her hands in the ram sign and focused on calling forth her chakra. Tsunade and Sakura watched with bated breath as a small poof of dust began to swirl around her feet, signifying her chakra was indeed open. They smiled at this. Teaching her would be a lot easier now.

"Alright sweetie, let's start with taijutsu. We'll work on henge, kawarimi, and bunshin later. We need to get your reserves up first."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Juugo, meanwhile, was already on his way. He had unlocked his chakra and Ino had decided to start on chakra control excercises. This didn't sit well with the hyperactive child since he wanted to start on taijutsu. Ino was quick to nip rebelliousness in the bud. With a whack over the head that Hikaru wince, she laid down her law.

"Now see here young man, I am your sensei here, and you will do as I say. Let me tell you what Naruto had to do in his training and we'll see if I'm not being lenient with you."

"Oh yeah? I bet it's not nearly as hard as what you're making me do."

"…his master threw him off a cliff. Do or die."

Juugo looked at her wide-eyed and went back to trying to make the leaf stick to his forehead. He'd rather do this all day than be chunked off a cliff. He watched as Hikaru stood off to the side, going slowly through some katas. He didn't like it that Hikaru was so much better than him. Ino frowned and whacked him on the head again.

"Don't lose your concentration and don't be jealous of Hikaru. He's older than you and his father is quite the slave driver when he wants to be. We don't know what style of taijutsu would be right for you so we'll get Naruto to find one for you when he gets back. In the meantime I want you to focus on chakra control and then we'll start on jutsu. I'm going to start making you and your sister wear weights all the time. We're going to make you kids strong."

Juugo just nodded his head and concentrated on the leaf. His life wouldn't be so easy anymore it seemed. Just when things seemed to not get any worse, Gin popped up.

**In your spare time, I will also be training the three of you in strategy and patience, along with Penni. You will learn strategy by playing go and shogi and reviewing old battles and giving your assessment of them. Patience will be learned over time by being…patient. I'll have to think of exercises for you. Lady Ino, is this all permissible?**

"Of course it is. Anything to help them get stronger. Hikaru could use a dose of humility and patience as well."

"MOM!"

"It's true. You inherited your impatience from your father."

"Yeah, well, dad says that you weren't exactly known for patience yourself."

"You leave me out of this young man. Juugo, you keep concentrating. Hikaru, keep doing those katas."

Both boys grumbled while the foxes sat and smirked. It was so fun torturing children.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto had walked his entire kingdom by now and had met a good many of his people. He had to mind the time here since it was slower than in the mortal realm. He'd been here a half day already, meaning a day had gone by there. It would be difficult to balance the time needed here and there, but he'd manage. He always did. He just hoped that everything was going smoothly over there. Sighing heavily, he called the fox council together for a brief meeting.

"Thank you all for coming. Tell me, who are our allies?"

The foxes all looked at each other and the elder spoke as always.

**We have no allies Lord Naruto. We are quite isolated from the rest of the demon realms. We've never had the need for allies.**

"Well I'm going to ally us with the toads and the slugs at least. The monkeys and snakes if I can. They are all allied with Konoha as we are, and I believe it would be beneficial if something ever came up. Have there ever been wars between any of the demon realms?"

**Oh of course. We rarely ever got involved though. The other demons feared the Kyuubi and his ferocious nature. Why do you wish for allies though?**

"I have ties to the toads from my mortal years and the slugs are contracted to my ex wife. The monkeys I believe were under contract to a man I considered my grandfather and the snakes…the snakes I want on our side in case Uchiha Sasuke, the Hokage, tries anything funny. I don't want to have to fight them if I can avoid it."

**This sounds like a good idea. The council approves. Who will you contact first?**

"The toads. I believe I'll invite GamaBunta and his children here for a visit. I still owe him a drink of sake from when I first signed the contract with him. Do you know the way to the toad realm?"

**Hai, we do. It runs along our northern border. Would you like to send a messenger to invite them?**

"Please do. Gamakichi wanted to visit our land anyway. I know this will be beneficial."

The fox council bowed and went to find a swift messenger to deliver their invitation. It would be a momentuous occasion for the fox realm. They hadn't had visitors from another realm for eons. Their new king certainly knew how to stir things up. Naruto sat on the steps leading to the throne and put his head in his hands. Staring out at nothing his thoughts were elsewhere.

'I wonder how the kids' training is going? Wonder if I'll be any help at all."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino growled in frustration. It was difficult picking a taijutsu style for the Uchiha children. Neither one conformed to what the normal style was for an Uchiha and Naruto wasn't due back for another four days. Karin, especially, was a difficult case. It seemed the Uchiha blood ran strong in the both of them as their chakra control was coming along nicely. Juugo could already perform a henge and Karin was fast on her way to being able to do that as well. Taijutsu was never Ino's forte though, and Sakura and Tsunade's style was more of a brawling type of fighting.

Hikaru was trying to help where he could, but his Freeform style was tailor made for him only. Even with Sharingan, it would be difficult to copy since it depended on flexibility and unorthodox movements that never melded together in a certain pattern. One move could always flow into the next and that's what made it so unpredictable. Juugo had tried it, but was too stiff for the workings of it. Karin had better luck, but that was only because as a female she was more lithe and limber than her brother. Ino sighed and turned to look at Tsunade and Sakura, who were sipping tea and making small talk while the children played with the foxes. A sudden growl from Gin made them all look his way and they saw him stalk away from the shogi board, leaving a smirking Penni.

"Did you win again?"

**Yes. As good as Gin is against a normal opponent, he is nowhere in my league. Is this Shikamaru I was told about around? I would like a strong opponent.**

"I'll try to get him here. Perhaps this would be a good chance for the children to see how strategy between two master players works as well."

**I agree. The children could stand to learn from anything we are willing to teach. I would like to begin teaching them how to play soon. While they might not be a challenge now, they could prove a challenge later and having a logical mind never hurts.**

"Yes I know. Shikamaru was on my team at one time. The guy is a genius. You'll be impressed I promise."

**I hope so.**

As Shikamaru sat in his office, he suddenly sneezed. He glared down at the paperwork he was working on and wiped his nose.

"Troublesome papers. I knew I was allergic to this shit…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A small blue fox arrived in the swamp that was home to the toads. He looked around cautiously, not really liking the atmosphere. He much preferred the open fields and forests of his homeland. He narrowed his gaze and shook his head. The scroll he carried was a personal invite for the chief toad and his children to attend a dinner with the Kyuubi. He couldn't afford to slack off now.

Worming his way through the swamp by leaping from stump to stump he finally came upon a mountain that had mists swirling about it. He made to begin to climb when an enormous toad carrying a battleaxe leapt from nowhere and landed in front of him. The blue fox let out a squeak and lowered his ears. The toad looked at the dimunitive creature in front of him and bellowed.

**Well, well, what have we here? A fox outside its territory? Tell me, furry one, have you lost your way or do the vulpine intend to invade?**

The blue fox glared and set the scroll down in front of its paws.

**I come in the name of the vulpine and our new king to offer an invitation to your chief, GamaBunta. In this scroll are the words of our new Kyuubi. He would see your master soon.**

**And who is the new Kyuubi? I had heard a rumor that the old one had finally perished.**

**The new Kyuubi is Uzumaki Naruto.**

The toad began to sputter and spit, its eyes bugging out. The fox thought it had said something wrong until the toad began to bellow with laughter.

**So, Naruto is the new Kyuubi? Damn, that boy is full of surprises. Never met him myself, but he's a goddamn legend in the toad realm. GamaBunta speaks highly of him and Gamakichi is like a brother to him. I'll deliver your message personally foxy.**

**If it's all the same to you, I was supposed to make sure the message got there myself.**

**Fair enough. Follow me and try to keep up.**

The toad began to leap from plateau to plateau up the mountain, the fox always just a step behind him. Near the top they came upon GamaBunta, talking to the Toad Seer.

**And what is this may I ask? A messenger from the foxes? To what do I owe the honor?**

**My Lord GamaBunta, my Lord Uzumaki Naruto wishes an audience with you at your convenience.**

GamaBunta smirked and took a long drag on his pipe.

**So the brat's finally got around to calling his old boss to dinner eh? Tell that little runt that I'll be there in a few days.**

**Of course my Lord. He says to bring your children as well.**

**Ah thank you. Gamakichi and Gamatatsu will be pleased to know they can come. You may go now and thank you.**

**As you wish.**

The little blue fox sped off, wanting to get home to green grass and green trees. GamaBunta took another drag on his pipe and looked off toward his southern border.

**'So you really did it huh? Guess I'll see what you've done with the place soon enough.'**

Blowing the smoke out slowly, Bunta smiled. That Naruto never ceases to amaze him.


	15. Chapter 15

And here's Chapter 15. I've still got a ways to go before I'm through with any of my stories, so I hope I'm maintaining you guys attention. I seem to have garnered quite a following and already have quite a few C2s that consider me worthy of adding to. If my work brings happiness and anticipation to a few, then I've down my job right. Readers, reviewers, thank you. Leave out all the rest...

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Naruto had a lot of work ahead of him. He had received word from his messenger that GamaBunta would be arriving in a few days. Of course, the silly toad never said_ when._ He'd just have to be prepared to eat whenever. He sighed and looked off in the direction of where he'd sent a messenger to Katsuyu. She was nice and probably wouldn't refuse an invitation, especially from someone she had saved in earlier years. His sensitive ears picked up the sound of feet padding toward him and he looked over his shoulder to see a red fox with his tongue lolling out, panting heavily.

**I was able to make it to Lady Katsuyu in time, My Lord. She accepted your gracious invitation and said she would come in a few days.**

"Hmph, a few days must be some kind of code between bosses. I'll have to learn that. I bet you that they all show up at the same time. Anyways, how did her realm look?"

**Lady Katsuyu's realm is very green, greener than ours. It's a veritable jungle with all kinds of slugs and their kin lazing about. They aren't a very productive people.**

"I see. She'll still be a valuable ally. Have you seen your brother that I sent to talk to Handra?"

**No my Lord. I hope he is all right though. The snakes aren't known for…tactfulness. At least Manda wasn't.**

"I notice you didn't call him Lord Manda. Any reason for that?"

**I never considered him worthy of respect. The only reason he climbed that high in the ranks was because he was the biggest and strongest. Not to mention the meanest. I believe he demanded human sacrifices when he was summoned.**

"Yes, I've heard something along those lines. He was not an honorable beast. It was for the best that he died I suppose. Killed by his own summoner no less. Well, I have to go check in with the council before I go back to the mortal realm. I'm putting you in charge of coming to get me when the others arrive. Oh, and let me know when your brother gets back. I want to be sure that he is safe."

**You're a strange one, my Lord. The old Kyuubi wouldn't have cared if we made it back, so long as the message was passed.**

"And that's where we differ greatly. I do care. I hate the senseless shedding of blood and life. Now go enjoy yourself. Watch for your brother."

The fox nodded and ran off back toward the village. Naruto sighed and followed after. He didn't really mind the council in this world. They weren't as biased as the one in the mortal realm, but he still had a few wrinkles to iron out. The council was supposed to be the right hand of the monarch, but if they had their own agendas then that didn't work for the people. He'd have to keep his eyes open for any corruption. He turned his eyes skyward and put his hands in his pockets. He couldn't wait to bring Ino here in due time. He looked back down when he felt himself bump into something and heard the snickers of the foxes around him. He had walked right into the pillar of the palace without noticing. He glanced back sheepishly at the foxes who were trying to hold in their laughter and stuck his tongue out before darting inside. All who were holding back laughter exploded into a cacophony of gasps and guffaws. Their regent was a strange one indeed.

The council was assembled in front of the steps leading to the throne and were all tapping their tails impatiently. They had been told to gather nearly a half hour ago and had yet to see neither hide nor hair of the monarch. Hinamori and Kazuma nodded to him as he walked past, and he gave them a wide grin. Usually, in the world of canids, the baring of teeth was a sign of aggression. Working with humans, however, had led to a new level of expression with the mouth. They had found, over the years, that a slight curling of the mouth or a twitch of the lips, meant a lot to the person receiving your gaze. Naruto flopped down on the top step, as was his custom, and waved his hand, signaling for them to begin. The elder bowed and spoke up.

**My Lord, your meeting with the other chiefs is in a few days. We trust that you have a plan on getting an alliance with them?**

"Nah, not really. I always preferred just going in blind and making up a plan as I went along."

**Well, it is your right, even though I don't agree. We'll leave that topic alone for the moment though. On to other matters. Your schedule between our realm and the mortal realm is a tenuous one. How do you propose we handle the situation when you are gone?**

"I expect you three to be here in my stead, taking care of problems and listening to what the people need. While I am gone I want you to get things ready for my little get-together with the other bosses. Any more business?"

**Yes. One last thing. The people wish to see more of you during the day. This will require you to walk among them, get to know them. This is…a deviation from our last ruler, but a pleasant one I believe. We will wait until after your meeting to see where our next order of business will lead. You can count on us to take care of the day-to-day business in the realm. By your leave?**

"Yes that sounds good. You may all go now. I thank you all for cooperating. Now I have somewhere to be. I'm sure my wife is wondering where I am…"

Three chuckles from the gathered council echoed through the halls as Naruto poofed out of existence. There was much to do before a gathering of bosses…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino sat at the table, massaging her temples. The training for the children was at a standstill as far as taijutsu was concerned. Chakra control was going well, but only Hikaru was doing well in taijutsu. She was broken out of her thoughts when she heard a 'poof' behind her and a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her shoulders. She leaned back into the embrace as far as she could and sighed happily.

"Welcome home, we missed you."

"I missed you too. So, how have things been going?"

"Horrible. Juugo and Karin need training in taijutsu and we've found out through the grapevine that Lee's on a several months long mission. We need your help."

Naruto took her by the hand and led her to the couch, where he leaned against the arm and Ino sat between his legs, while she stroked his tails and he scratched her ears. This was a very comfortable position for the both of them and it settled their nerves. Ino purred and nuzzled the tails against her cheek. She simply adored her mate's fuzzy appendages.

"Juugo is too stiff for the Uchiha style and Sasuke wouldn't teach him anything until he mastered the Uchiha taijutsu. He has literally nothing except what we've taught him. Karin is very flexible, but she's too flexible for anything Tsunade, Sakura, or I could teach her. My style is the basic academy taijutsu, while Sakura and Tsunade lean more toward brute strength. I need you to look into some of that knowledge you have and pull out something for them."

Naruto stared up at the ceiling while scratching his wife's ears and thought hard. There were several styles that came to mind and it wouldn't be difficult for him to teach the children. Hikaru had his own unique style and it worked for him. He wouldn't need any work, except to teach him new jutsus. He would need to see the other two in action though. He voiced this desire to Ino and she smiled before standing up.

"Well, follow me. The kids are downstairs practicing right now. Your guardians are really something else. Karin and Shin adore each other, although Juugo and Gin argue more often than not. The other two just lie around and try to help where they can. Gin and Penni have been teaching the kids how to play Go and Shougi, trying to get them to think with their minds more. Let's go and you'll see."

Outside the children were all sitting crosslegged on the ground, Juugo and Karin trying to keep a leaf floating above their foreheads while Hikaru had a blunted kunai floating above his. When he heard a familiar voice, he whipped his head around, losing concentration, and the kunai hit him in the forehead. It didn't register though as he flew into the arms of his father.

"Well, it's good to see you too son. Have you been good for your mother?"

A vigorous nod came from the pinky blonde and Naruto sat him down while motioning for the children to gather round. Once everyone was settled in, Naruto knelt down to the kids' level.

"Alright. Juugo, Karin, I've heard the two of you have problems with taijutsu. You can't seem to find a style that suits you very well. I'm hoping I can remedy that. I have a library of styles in my head and I think I can delve far enough to find one that will mess your enemies up pretty good. Juugo, you're up. Let's see what you can do against Hikaru."

Juugo and Hikaru walked away from the group and set themselves into the stances they knew; Hikaru in his Freeform style and Juugo in his broken Uchiha style. When Naruto dropped his hand, it was over in a matter of seconds. Hikaru decimated poor Juugo. It wasn't the boy's fault since he never had proper teaching. This caused Naruto to scowl profusely. It seemed that many clans had fallen back on the presumption that their children were born suited for the styles they taught. Hinata was a perfect example of that. He nodded his head to Juugo and the sulking boy sauntered back to sit by his guardian, who thumped his tail against the boy's back reassuringly. Naruto smiled at the gesture as Karin stood and walked forward.

Karin carried herself much like his childhood friend had. She seemed unsure of herself at first, but a yip from Shin made her smile and she stood a little taller. Hikaru still decimated her, but she seemed to flow more than Juugo. It was true what Ino told him. Juugo was a staunch fighter, he more than likely was stiff because of a willingness to get in close and fight hand to hand. Karin seemed to flow like water, bending this way and that to get away from Hikaru's unorthodox fighting style. As Hikaru led the out-of-breath girl back to the circle Naruto checked his mind for styles that would compliment their body structure and mentality. Ah, there the two were. He smiled as he came out of his trance and fixed the two with a stare.

"If I teach you these styles, I want you to know that you can never teach them to anyone who is not family. Never use them in front of your father, he'll copy them. Never use them against each other in a malicious way. Do you understand?"

Juugo nodded his head but Karin looked somewhat confused. Naruto asked her what the problem was and nearly laughed at her question.

"What's malicious mean?"

Once the adults were all through laughing and Shin had explained the definition of the word, Karin agreed never to harm any family members with her technique. Naruto nodded and formed his favorite hand sign, making three of himself. The clones went and stood beside their respective child, while receiving mental orders from the original. Once the information was passed, Naruto straightened up and addressed them one last time.

"Hikaru, my clone will be teaching you a new doton jutsu, a defensive one. I expect you to learn it before I have to leave. Juugo, Karin, you two will be learning two styles that have been forgotten over the centuries. Hikaru, go on and practice while I talk to your siblings."

Hikaru stood and left with the clone, Genmaki in tow. Naruto made two more clones and stood in the spot where the three children had fought.

"Now then, Juugo, I'm going to be teaching you an art known as Muay Thai. It concentrates on getting in close and striking with the joints, where the bone is harder. You will use your elbows, your knees, your shins, your hands, and grapples to lure your opponent in. Now watch."

Naruto sized up his clone and shuffled into the Muay Thai stance and his clone assumed his normal bestial style. They rushed at each other and Naruto thrust his palm at the clone's face. It ducked and was met with an uplifting knee, to which it dodged to the side. The clone stood and faced its maker, bending low at the waist and flexing its claws. It darted in but was met with a shin to the stomach and two elbows crashing down onto the back of its skull, disengaging it. Naruto turned back to the children to see them staring wide-eyed at the display.

"COOL! I'm going to be learning how to fight like that?"

"Yes, but that was just a small sample. Your entire body is a weapon in Muay Thai and you will be doing certain exercises to toughen up your skin and bones. Wouldn't want the skin splitting in the middle of battle now would we?"

Juugo shook his head furiously, causing a chuckle to rumble in Naruto's chest. He dismissed the boy with his clone and sent the two off to begin the lessons. He turned back to Karin and motioned for the other clone to join him. While it ambled over, he went back into lecture mode for the little girl.

"Karin, I've seen that you are very flexible and agile, especially for your age. What I'm about to teach you is more of a dance than a fighting style. However it is very effective because it relies on constantly being in motion. While fighting in this style the worst thing you can do is stop before the opponent is beaten. You'll spend a lot of time ducking and dodging, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Since your upper body will be weaker than most of your opponents, you'll need to focus on leg strength and being fast. Introducing kunais into this style is something else I'd like to do. Now then let me introduce you to the art of Capoeira."

Once more the clone slipped into the bestial style and Naruto began to gyrate his body in unusual ways. When the clone went for a swipe, Naruto leant back and handspringed away. Keeping his body low, he waited for the clone to come at him again and tried to sweep its legs out from under it. It leapt into the air and came down with an axe kick, to which Naruto rolled to the side and leapt up, swinging a kick at its head. It ducked and when he came down it tried to sweep kick him, only to have him stand on one hand and maneuver his feet for another kick. It ducked and was met by a headbutt that dispelled it. Naruto stood again and went back to lecture mode.

"Of course that is only a small sample of the entire style. It relies on feints, subterfuge, and headbutts among other things. It's all about feeling your opponent out and moving with his movements, like a river flowing downstream. You flow with your opponent before finding your chance to strike. Not to mention that since you seem to be dancing with them, it infuriates them more often than not, leading to an easy victory once they become enraged. Now go with your instructor."

Karin nodded and stood to follow the clone with stars in her eyes and Shin on her heels. Naruto smiled and turned back to Ino.

"Now then, where are the other two?"

"They're at Tsunade's house, drinking tea I believe. Well, Tsunade's probably drinking sake, but that's beside the point. Why?"

"I need to make sure that they understand not to interfere in the kids taijutsu training. I'll write several scrolls on how to do the forms, but after that, it's up to the kids. Hikaru can help them. Witht that Freeform style of his, he can pretty much adapt to anything and he learns better from a scroll anyway. Let's get this over with so I can do some other things."

"Like what?"

"Like finding Shikamaru and setting up a shougi match between him and Penni."

Ino's mouth formed an 'o' in understanding and they walked off to Tsunade's house, with their tails entwined.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade sat sipping her tea while making small talk with Sakura. It was still strange to her, all the changes that had come about since her 'son' had become a demon. She took another sip of tea and set the cup down, looking across at the pink haired woman who was reading the paper. She remembered the brat who came into her office, begging to be made her apprentice and smiled. She remembered marrying the two she considered family and smiled more. Then she remembered how Sakura had left Naruto for the Uchiha and she unknowingly growled, causing Sakura to set her paper aside and look at her old master questioningly. Tsunade saw her out of the corner of her eye and shrugged.

"Just reminiscing about how some things have gone in recent years and what we could have done to make them better. Do you ever regret things in the past?"

Sakura took a last sip of tea and stood to put her cup in the sink. Tsunade heard her sigh.

"I regret a lot of things. A lot of things. But what I most regret is…hey, there's Naruto."

"Really? Where?"

"He and Ino are walking this way. Should I put some more tea on?"

"Yes, please do. I'll get Megumi and Penni from upstairs."

Sakura began to fill the pot again and put it on the oven, while Tsunade made her way upstairs. A knock on the door signaled the couple's arrival and they were ushered inside. Sakura sat them down on a couch with a cup of tea in their hands as Tsunade came down the stairs followed by the two foxes. They bowed their heads to their rulers and took up stations beside their designated charges. Naruto waved at them merrily, making the two foxes sweatdrop. Were kings supposed to be so flippant?

"I've come back as you can see. I've got the children working on taijutsu styles I know of that will be perfect for them. You can go and see them now if you wish. Penni, I need you to accompany me to find a friend of mine."

**Why?**

"To fulfill our bargain when you agreed to come to the mortal realm."

Tsunade shivered as she stood up.

"I wish you wouldn't call this world that Naruto. It's eerie coming from you."

"Sorry Baa-chan, it's what it's called though. Can't change that."

"Doesn't mean you have to call it that in my presence."

"Ah well. You three go check out the kids, Penni, follow me and Ino."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shikamaru had been having yet another boring day. Doing paperwork in his office was not an ideal thing. He had hated paper tests and anything to do with writing something down since the academy days. He had been passing the time idly throwing a rubber ball at the door and catching it as it bounced back. His day got more interesting when he threw the ball one last time and it bounced off one Uzumaki Naruto's forehead, before rolling into the corner. Shikamaru took his legs off the desk and smiled at his friends.

"Ino, Naruto, to what do I owe the honor? Hey, that isn't Genmaki…"

"Nope, this is Tsunade's familiar Penni. She is a master of shougi and Go and would challenge you to a game."

Shikamaru's eyebrows raised into the stratosphere. A fox playing shougi? What an interesting development. He leaned back in his chair and eyed the fox.

"How can she play though? She doesn't have hands or thumbs."

**I pick up the pieces with my tails human. Do not act as if I am an inferior species because I lack your pitiful appendages.**

Ino frowned at her subordinate.

"Penni, be nice. Shikamaru is a friend of mine and it looks bad on the vulpine if you are rude."

**I apologize Lady Ino. Forgive my insolence. Shikamaru, I, Penni, challenge you to a shougi match. One game only. If you fail to impress me, I shall go back to my realm and Lord Naruto will have to find another fox to be Lady Tsunade's familiar. These were the conditions we set down before I agreed to come here, correct?**

While Naruto was not happy with this development, he nodded his assent. Shikamaru sighed and stood up.

"Troublesome. So my enjoying a leisurely game of shougi is now a bout to keep you here in this realm. Tell me, how good are you? I haven't had any good opponents since Asuma died."

**I am an excellent player and one of the best at strategy. If you don't believe me, then try me. I have never lost a match and I don't think I'll begin by losing to a mere mortal.**

Now Shikamaru is not a prideful person. He's level headed and tends to think ahead more often than not. However, he doesn't like to lose at a game unless it's to a respected opponent and doubly so if that opponent is a female. Ino saw her friend becoming annoyed and knew that this fox had struck a chord. Shikamaru stood up abruptly and walked around his desk.

"Well then, let's see if a lowly mortal can best a crafty kitsune. Let's do this in a place where everyone can see us play."

**Agreed.**

Several hours later, a gaping Penni was on her last leg. She had tried every strategy she could think of, but after thinking for a bit, Shikamaru was able to counter every one. The fox was now looking the board over carefully, looking for any avenue to get out of the position she found herself in. She was finding it difficult. Shikamaru was a ruthless player.

Shikamaru found himself sweating it out as well. Penni was a genius, the best player he'd ever gone against. Asuma was no slouch but she put him to shame. He had had to use his pose at least twenty times over their several hours long match and it was hard to read her moves. If this were a real battlefield, she'd have had him pincered into a corner several times. He'd had to sacrifice several pawns to get out of those predicaments. He looked across at his opponent and a small smirk found its way to his face. He hoped that even if he lost, she'd stay. He hadn't found an opponent like her before.

Penni's grimace grew larger and larger the more she sat there. Her options were very limited. If she moved this way it was checkmate, if she moved that way it was checkmate. A human, a mere mortal, had her backed into a corner. It's been said you should never corner a fox, but this Shikamaru had her backed in and had defanged her. Bowing her head low, she bared her fangs.

**I concede defeat.**

The roar from the crowd was defeaning and when the two turned they saw that there was indeed a congregation around them. They had been so caught up in the game; they hadn't noticed the throng gathering around them. Shikamaru reached across the game board and offered his hand to the fox.

"I don't know what your custom is for when someone wins a match but here we shake hands."

**I don't have hands but I can offer my tail as a substitute. That was an excellent match mor…I mean, Shikamaru. I accept you as a rival in shougi and I will stay here. But you have yet to prove that you can beat me in Go. Let us do this another time.**

"I agree. Shall we say, every Tuesday at three? That's my normal day off and that should give us plenty of time to play. Maybe we won't have such a crowd next time."

**Agreed. Now if you'll excuse me, I left my charge with the others. I need to be on my way.**

Shikamaru nodded and stood to leave. He looked toward the door where the three vulpine were leaving and smiled.

'So damn troublesome. Don't know what I'd do without them though.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade and Sakura, meanwhile, had been watching the children training and were, to say the least, astonished at how far they had come already. Hikaru was a given and the Doton technique he was training with was coming along nicely. Juugo was taking to Muay Thai like a fish to water. Since he wasn't strong enough to put a solid punch on the clone it had taken several blows already. He'd need to up his endurance, however, and he'd have to toughen up his body, literally. Karin, as Naruto said, flowed into her style like she was born to do it. The clone had started her off slowly, taking her through a dance that saw them try to sweep each other's legs and pirouetting on their toes to get in kicks. She was more flexible than the clone, lacking the muscle definition that it had, and landed more hits than should have been normal.

Shin and Gin stood to the side; Shin bouncing up and down with unbridled joy and anticipation, hooting and hollering whenever his little mistress managed to land a hit; Gin stoically watching and analyzing, seeing what he could pick apart to make his charge a better ninja. Megumi lay to the side by Genmaki, the two talking about his children. It was hard to believe that such a group of foxes were brought together, but they had all taken to their roles with gusto. Everyone looked up when Naruto, Ino, and a sullen looking Penni came walking into the yard. Penni strode over to Genmaki and Megumi and lay down beside them, mumbling under her breath. Genmaki smirked and nudged her with one of his tails.

**So Shikamaru beat you huh? I warned you not to underestimate him.**

**Stuff it chew toy.**

Genmaki snickered at his fellow caretaker and turned his attention back to the children. He sniffed the air and cocked an ear in confusion. He turned to Megumi and saw her with a smile on her face.

**What is that smell in the air? It's saturating it.**

**That, my friend, is the smell of heat. It would seem that our queen is coming into her season. She's been fidgeting ever since Lord Naruto came back. If she makes it past tonight, I'd be surprised. She's got to be going crazy.**

Genmaki nodded his head in understanding. His wife had been insatiable when she'd come into heat. He heard chuckling beside him and quickly realizing he'd been drooling. Shaking his head, he tried to regain his dignity.

**I take it we should have the children stay at Sakura or Tsunade's house then?**

**It would probably be for the best. What do you think Penni?**

**Hush, I'm trying to think up a strategy for my Go match.**

The rest of the evening passed in relative silence. The children all had made progress in their training and Naruto would be able to help them the next day. Before everyone split up for the evening, Naruto took Genmaki aside.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask. In summon speak, what is a few days?"

**Roughly three days.**

"Ok, at least now I know when to go back. That's a load off my mind. Wish I could figure out why Ino's so clingy though. She fidgeted a lot today and she has a…very interesting smell coming off her. Do you know anything about that?"

Genamki grinned and closed his eyes.

**I believe it would be best if I took Hikaru to Tsunade's tonight. I'll inform them not to bother the two of you and we'll eat at Ichiraku's tonight. Try to keep it down ok?**

"What the hell are you talking about?"

As Genmaki walked away, he swished his tails happily. Soon the royal family would be what it should be; a family. He turned to his king and smiled.

**Your mate is in heat, Lord Naruto. I believe you have a rough time ahead of you. Enjoyable but rough. If you thought she was bad normally, you have no idea what's in store.**

Naruto's eyes widened and the fear was evident.

"But…but, she nearly kills me normally. What do I do?"

**Pray that Kami loves you.**

Naruto whimpererd when he heard Ino call him. With a last look over his shoulder to the retreating Genmaki, he headed towards his doom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino had been feeling hot all day. She couldn't explain it, but whenever she looked at Naruto, she had an irresistible urge to jump him right then and there. As he said his last goodbyes to Genmaki for the evening she headed inside the house. Before he made it inside, she had bolted all the doors and windows and once he was inside, she locked the deadbolt with a sharp 'clack'.

Naruto froze when he heard that sound. He slowly pivoted on his heel to see a heavily panting Ino, with a glazed look in her eye. He backed away slowly as she stalked her prey. He couldn't deny, however, that the pheromone she was emitting was intoxicating. As she slid across the floor toward him, the feeling of fear and excitement built even more, and he totally lost it when she spoke in a sultry voice, her tails waving wildly, her ears pinned back, as she crouched before springing.

"Here foxy, foxy. Come to mama."


	16. Chapter 16

And here's Chapter 16. I like this one. Lot's of character interaction and my trademark dirty, dirty humor. Hope you guys like it. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you...Shine Down.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Naruto lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. He had never been so tired in all his life. He groaned and tried to move. No go. His body felt like a lead weight. Turning his head to the side, he took in his wife's glowing visage, her smile seeming to light up the bedroom. Part of the reason he couldn't move was soreness; the other part was that she was half-laying on top of him, an arm and a leg thrown over him as she nuzzled into his chest. Resigning himself to his fate, he thumped his head backwards on his pillow and sighed. He still had another two days in this realm and with his wife in heat; it was going to be hell.

He still had to help with training the kids, and when he couldn't be here, he had to make up scrolls so that they could continue to train. He couldn't do that if Ino kept him locked in the bedroom until she was sated. Hopefully, their romp last night left her too sore to continue anything for the rest of the day. Then he remembered a demon's unnatural healing ability and squinted his eyes in frustration. More than likely when she woke, he would be preoccupied for another few hours. She had been frustrating to finish off as a mortal; as a demon she was damn near insurmountable in the bedroom. She never seemed to run out of steam.

Deciding to try to push his luck, he removed his wife's arm and leg and rolled her onto her back. She whined at the lack of warmth and snuggled further into the covers. Breathing a sigh of relief, he stood and cracked his back, stretching the kinks out that his wife had worked into him the night before. He looked up at the ceiling fan and saw what appeared to be one of Ino's sequined thongs.

'How in the hell did that get up there?'

He continued to look around the destroyed room as he put on what clothes he could find. His set last night had been shredded by an overexcited Ino in a fit of passion. He was afraid for a moment that her claws were coming dangerously close to his little friend and that they would be separated for life. His fears were assuaged when she revered it like a holy talisman and showered her affection and worship on his little buddy. One of the best and worst nights of his life for sure. He'd never thought sex could be so…scarring.

Where Ino had learned some of the things they did, he'd never know…and prayed he never found out. It sure as hell wasn't _his_ books. He preferred a slower, playful style. His wife, however, had more closely resembled a Tasmanian devil in heat, snarling, ripping, tearing at flesh and leaving furrows in his skin as she clawed at his back. When she'd sunk her fangs into his neck, on the mark, he thought he was going to die…pleasurably of course.

After finding enough clothing to resemble a half dressed man, he tried to sneak out of the room. As soon as the doorknob clicked he felt a presence pressed against his back and began to shiver in both fear and anticipation. His wife had woken when she heard the click and was now rubbing her cheek against his back and purring with her arms wrapped around his waist.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Naruto's eyes darted around the room, seeking escape. The spirit was willing but the flesh was bruised and spongy. This woman was trying to kill him. Ino purred again and moved her hands further south, making him shake against her.

"Now, now, husband. Have you forgotten we can read each other's thoughts? I'm not trying to kill you. It's just that I have a fire between my legs and I need you to put it out."

"Ino, sweetie, please…don't make me do this. I'm tired, I'm sore, and I need to help the kids practice."

Ino smiled sweetly and began to massage him through his pants. He choked back a groan and tried to jerk the door open, but she held it closed with one palm.

"Naruto, turn around."

"Uh uh."

"Naruto, now."

"Mm mm."

"Naruto…Turn. Around. Now."

"Inooo…"

"Stop whining and take it like a man."

With a final burst of strength, Naruto picked his wife up by the waist and threw her back onto the bed. Ino landed with a snarl and tackled him viciously as he flung the door open. They tumbled outside and down the hallway, clawing and biting the whole way. Thinking maybe he could lose her if he rolled them both down the stairs, Naruto took the plunge and listened to her indignant shrieks and squeals of pain in between his grunts.

The plan did not go very well since he landed at the bottom of the stairwell on his back with a naked Ino on top of him. Setting her lips into a vicious grimace, she grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him up to face her. Growling low in her throat, she bared her fangs at her mate before smirking and slamming her lips into his. His eyes flew open and he tried to struggle, but it was in vain. Deciding to give into the inevitable, he deepened the kiss and she jerked her head back. She purred and looked at him through half-lidded eyes before beginning to rip his clothes apart again. He sighed in defeat and moaned when she pressed hard on one of his bruises.

"Silly foxy, you know Ino likes it rough…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto emerged from his house several hours later, even sorer and more beatdown than that morning. Ino had elected to sleep in, thoroughly wore out and satisfied. The kids and other two women looked at him with wide eyes. He looked like he'd been through a warzone. Clad only in sweatpants, since he couldn't find a shirt that didn't look like it had been put through a wood chipper, and forgoing sandals since they only made his feet hurt more (if that was humanly possible) he trudged forward. Without a word he made three clones and sent them to work with the kids.

The kids walked away, looking over their shoulders at the blonde as he flopped on the grass spread eagle and groaned loudly. Sakura and Tsunade, concerned for his well-being, walked over to ask what was wrong. He told them 'nothing' and they kept pressing the issue. The laughter from the foxes was heard behind them and they turned to find all the foxes with huge grins and shaking bodies. Tsunade raised an eyebrow and asked what was so damn funny. Genmaki caught his breath enough to answer.

**He's just tired Lady Tsunade. He'll be fine with some rest.**

"Ok, but what did this to him? He has bruises all over and looks like he's been through a shinobi war."

Penni snickered and rolled to her side.

**Lady Ino is in heat. And I believe she is the rough type when it comes to her season.**

Sakura's eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth as she tried to stifle the giggles that threatened to burst forth. Naruto shot her a withering glare, which only made her laugh harder. Tsunade made no effort to hide her amusment and spent the rest of the day teasing the poor king. Around lunchtime his wife made her appearance.

Ino sashayed out of the house wearing a white tanktop and blue skirt, smiling the whole way. Tsunade and Sakura looked up from their seats beside a knocked out Naruto and returned her wave and smile. They had teased him for over an hour before sleep finally claimed him and his bruises began to heal. Ino smiled at her husband and plopped down beside him, on the other side from Tsunade and Sakura. Sakura, still being somewhat of a gossip hound, decided that details were needed.

"So, heat huh? What's that like?"

Ino rolled her shoulders and laid back, using Naruto's stomach like a pillow as she stretched out on the grass.

"It's weird. It's not like arousal; it's like a constant need to…get him. I literally made him black and blue last night, and this morning he tried to run away from me and I tackled him. We fought a little, rolled down the stairs, and I ended up on top of him. The rest is all a blur. I've been a little hard on the poor guy, I know, but I can't help myself."

"So how long does this last?"

"I dunno. I've never been in heat before. It's a totally new experience. Hey, wanna see something funny?"

The other two women nodded their heads and watched as Ino lifted herself onto her knees and straddled Naruto's stomach. Bending low she began to lick and nibble his ear. He started squirming underneath her, his face contorting with every movement her mouth made. Tsunade watched with amusement as Ino continued to torture the poor man. Sakura sat half-worried, half-laughing, watching Ino one second and making sure the kids weren't coming the next. The foxes merely looked on, wondering what would happen when their king awakened.

In Naruto's mind, he was confused. The sensation he was feeling was familiar and very enticing. But at the same time he was afraid because of it. Part of this feeling offered pain, the other part offered pleasure. His mind wracked itself trying to come up with an answer. Who or what could make him feel such a mixture of pleasure and pain? His brain nearly went into overload when his databank found its answer. Ino.

Ino watched with a wide grin as Naruto's eyes flew wide open and grimaced in trepidation as he was replaced with a log. As she straddled the offending piece of wood, she looked around and finally heard him cursing in his mind. Smiling as wide as she could, she turned to see him in the tree behind her, shaking with both fear and rage. He'd let her get to close in his tiredness and it nearly led to him being jumped again.

'Aw, Naruto, you know I wouldn't do such a thing.'

He looked shocked when she sent her message to him. Psychically contacting each other was not a favorite pastime of theirs since it took so much effort and energy, but in certain situations it was necessary.

'Bullshit. You were about two seconds away from ripping off my damn pants. I am not letting you anywhere near me. In fact, I have to go back early.'

Ino scowled and it permeated its way into her thoughts.

'And why is that?'

'I have certain things I have to prepare for. Don't worry; I've had a clone working on scrolls for the kids. They'll be fine. I need to make sure that our people understand that they need to be respectful of the other chiefs and bosses. They need to learn that while we are powerful, we cannot stand against a contingency of others. And besides, you're in heat and I can't concentrate if I have to look over my shoulder for you every three seconds.'

'Aw, come on Naruto, I'm not that bad.'

'…you shredded all my clothes so I wouldn't 'be able to hide my beautiful, wonderful dick' were your exact words I believe.'

Ino blushed and Tsunade and Sakura looked back and forth between them, wondering what was being said. Ino's eyes hardened in a moment and she put her hands on her hips.

"Fine, if you're going, then I'm going with you."

"Absolutely not. I can't be distracted Ino."

"Don't worry, I won't be a distraction. I won't touch you the whole time."

"Ino, you're in heat. You can't control yourself. Look, I…"

"UZUMAKI NARUTO!! I'm going with you and that's final."

Naruto groaned and held his head in his hands. He'd already lost this argument.

"What about the children? They need protection."

"Hikaru can summon us and the foxes are here. They'll be fine. Besides, I want to see our kingdom."

"Fine, but you screw this up and no…no sex for a year."

Ino's face went pale and her mouth fell open. That was the worst thing he could have punished her with. That or never singing to her again. Tsunade and Sakura snickered at her obvious discomfort and distaste of the threat.

"But…that's…you can't…hmph, fine. But you screw up and I get to have my way with you with no whining. Deal?"

"Deal."

By the time they were through with their deal making, the children had come back wondering what lunch was going to be. Naruto, being tired, couldn't muster the energy to fix lunch so that fell to Tsunade and Sakura. Well, it fell to Sakura since Tsunade could burn Lucky Charms in ice-cold milk. Naruto and Ino went back to the house. Ino, to look for an outfit that would bring out her regal qualities and not clash with her purple fur; Naruto, threw on a white undershirt and shuffled into town to buy some new outfits. Once the children were fed and everyone was settled in, Naruto explained the situation.

"Ok guys, me and Ino are going to the fox realm. I don't know how long we'll be gone; so don't advertise that we're not here ok? Try to stay on the grounds if possible and I want the foxes with you every time you step outside. Vulpine, if you see anything that even looks remotely dangerous, react with intent to kill. Any unkown scents are to be dealt with as you would any unknown scent to the realm. Understood?"

The foxes all nodded in acknowledgment. Shin looked absolutely ecstatic. He was always one for a good fight. His overexuberant personality bled over into all aspects of his life. He truly was the foxy equivalent of Lee. The rest all looked apathetic to the concept or had a grim contenance upon their face. Tsunade and Sakura looked pensive. If they had to watch all three children, it was a huge responsibility. Thank Kami for the foxes. They were an absolute Godsend.

Naruto looked over his family with concerned eyes. This was a bad idea in his opinion, but Ino could not be swayed. He cut his eyes to the blonde in question and saw that she had no discernible look on her face. She was a blank slate. His lips twitched in annoyance and he turned back to look at his son. Hikaru gazed up at him with big eyes.

"Hikaru, I want you to help watch over your brother and sister. If you see anything out of the ordinary, anything that seems misplaced, if you see a trace of Uchiha Sasuke or any of those that _might_ be loyal to him, you summon me, you hear? Don't leave things to chance. Don't be a hero. You call me and no matter what I'm doing, I'll come. Do you understand son?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. I expect you all to have no problems while we're gone. And Tsunade, Sakura…"

The two women watched as Naruto stood and put his arm around Ino's waist, pulling her in close. He looked at them pleadingly, begging them to heed his words.

"Please, keep them safe. Be safe. We'll return soon hopefully. See you later."

In a flash of flame the two disappeared, leaving the five humans and five foxes. Genmaki sighed and turned to the rest of their little group. Putting on a foxy grin, he spoke.

**Well then, who's up for lunch? Shall we go to Ichiraku's or the new sushi bar?**

Sakura put a finger to her chin and thought for a moment.

"I suppose we should go to Ichiraku's. The sushi place doesn't allow pets."

All the foxes scowled and began to grumble under their breath. Tsunade thought she heard one of them, although it was very low.

**…not a goddamn pet…**

She wasn't sure which one it was.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the fox realm, a flash of flame erupted in the middle of the market and sent all the foxes scattering. Vulpine of all kinds and colors dove for cover as the flames rose and then abated, leaving their king in his tailed glory and a strange woman with purple tails and ears. Once their monarch was seen, all the foxes came out of hiding and surrounded the couple. Ino turned round and round, taking them all in and seeing that there were colors of the rainbow that she hadn't thought possible for fur. Naruto greeted his people in his usual lackadaisical way and they reciprocated in kind.

In the short time he had been king, the foxes had all learned that their king didn't stand on ceremony and he didn't like to be treated as something special. When he needed to be serious, however, he was terrifying. They had all seen his true power and the mere aura he gave off was enough to bring the weak to their bellies. To the most powerful among them, breathing was a chore. They revered him as their leader and feared him as an enemy.

Naruto looked around and saw that they weren't far from the palace. He grabbed Ino around the waist again and bade the foxes gather round with a sweeping motion of his hand. Once he had their attention, he spoke in his loud booming voice.

"Everyone, gather at the palace. Tell everyone you see and be there in thirty minutes. I shall present your queen to you."

The vulpine perked up at that announcement. Many made to swing their eyes back to the blonde woman with him, but found her and their king gone like the wind. Yelling at the top of their lungs that the king had returned with their queen, the foxes went into a tizzy, running about and scrambling for a good spot at the palace grounds.

Naruto and Ino arrived in the palace on top of the dais. He sat Ino down and plopped down on the top step. Ino spun round and round on her heel, taking in all the beauty and majesty of the marble and gold construct. Her eyes finally settled on the throne and she squealed before she went to leap upon it. She never made it. Naruto appeared in front of her and caught her in his arms.

"Aw come on Naruto. I want to sit on the throne. Just once pleeeeaseee?"

"No."

"Oh so Mister high and mighty won't let his queen sit on the throne? You condescending little…"

"Ino. I don't sit on the throne either. I won't sit on it."

Ino started at that comment. A king not sitting on his throne was ludicrous. It was tantamount to heresy. She turned her eyes to him and asked why. Naruto sighed and loosened his grip on her as he guided them both back to the top step.

"Ino, that throne is a symbol to the people of this realm. The old Kyuubi would sit upon that throne and send down his judgment upon the people. The one who sat on that throne ahead of me was a beast and I will not accept a seat that was sat upon by a tyrant."

"Then have it melted down and a new one made. You are the king Naruto."

"I know. And that throne is a reminder to myself that I will never be what the old Kyuubi was. I'd rather have my powers stripped from me and my tails yanked out with a pair of pliers. I'd much rather sit atop the top step and address my people as Uzumaki Naruto, King of the Foxes, husband to Uzumaki Ino, father to Uzumaki Hikaru, and Kyuubi of the Bijuu than to sit upon a throne as a reminder that these people will never touch their monarch. I refuse to compromise my beliefs for tradition. And the people love me for it."

"I…see. I agree. Have I told you how sexy you are when you're being all regal and serious?"

Naruto sighed and hardened his hold on Ino's waist, keeping her secure and out of reach of his ding-a-ling.

"Not now Ino. The people will be coming soon and I'd rather not have them see me with my pants down. Or yours either."

Ino pouted and crossed her arms, her tails beating a mad rythym across his back. He was saved by the appearance of the council. The elder took up its station in the middle and Kazama and Hinamori took up the sides.

**Welcome back Lord Naruto. We've been preparing for the arrival of the chiefs and did not expect you back so early. Who is the young woman with you and why does she have two tails?**

"This is my wife Ino, Elder. Your queen sits before you."

The elder's eyes flew wide and the three councilmen bowed their heads before their new queen. Ino rather liked having subservient people and had a smirk on her face until she saw the disapproving look out of the corner of her eyes. She quickly dropped the smirk and took up a reassuring smile.

"Please don't treat me any different than you would my husband. I only wish to serve, as a queen should. I won't be around much for several years anyway. At least not until the children are grown."

**We understand. Still, your highness will be a big hit with the people. There are no others with royal purple fur that my colleagues or I know of. I think you should go to the balcony now my Lord and Lady. The people await a complete ruling family.**

Ino giggled as she latched onto Naruto's arm and gave the council a knowing look.

"And if I have my way then the family will be complete very soon."

Naruto groaned and pulled his wife along, ignoring the questioning looks of the council. He turned before they walked onto the balcony.

"Did the messenger for the serpents ever make it back?"

**Yes my Lord, although he was quite shaken. Apparently, the snakes are still in a state of uncertainty as to their leadership, but Handra promised to be here regardless.**

"As long as the messenger is ok."

Once the two were gone, the elder turned to the other two and smirked.

**Well, it seems our queen is in heat. Perhaps we shall have a royal family soon.**

Hinamori smiled and nodded her head.

**Indeed. And with such strong parents, the child will be a boon to the vulpine without doubt.**

Kazama just looked after the two humanoid foxes with a smile on his face. Things were always fun when the king was around, and his wife was just as eccentric as he was.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto stood on the balcony with Ino by his side, looking out over the sea of multicolored fur. He smiled when he spotted Genmaki's wife and kits amongst the crowd. He took a deep breath and shouted over the din.

"People of the vulpine, I stand before you with a person I have promised to deliver unto you. I bring before you your queen, Uzumaki Ino."

The foxes erupted into a cacophony of yips and barks, filling the air with a pure essence of joy and happiness. The vulpine hadn't had a true royal family for eons. It was a true moment of peace for the fox realm. Ino smiled and beheld her subjects. They were certainly a spunky bunch.

"Um…Hi."

Naruto snickered at his wife's shyness. She was never this indecisive and quiet around anyone. Ino shot him a dirty look and straightened her back.

"My fellow vulpine, I have come finally and stand before you as your queen, Uzumaki Ino, wife of Uzumaki Naruto. I have come to represent our kingdom in the talks with the Toads, Serpents, and Slugs and will stand by my husband in whatever he decides."

Ino glanced at Naruto and he gulped when he saw that rebellious twinkle in her eye.

"Know also that I will personally pound his ass into the ground if he gets out of line."

Naruto scowled at his wife but eased up when he heard the waves of chuckles from the crowd below. Ino stood with her hands on her hips and a huge grin on her face. Her husband grinned largely as well and put his hand on top of head, ruffling her hair and ears.

"If you are quite through posturing for the people, I'd like to take a walk and show you the kingdom. I believe you'll find it beautiful."

As the council shooed the foxes back to their lives below, Ino rested her head against Naruto's shoulder and leaned into his embrace.

"I'd like nothing better."

As they walked through the streets, Ino nodded to everyone she passed. The foxes all smiled and bowed to her reverently. Ino decided she liked the realm better than Konoha. Here she was accepted readily and her husband was beloved. The realm was much more beautiful than Konoha and the streets, despite being inhabitated by animals, were clean and well maintained. Then they went to the fields.

The royal couple stood at the edge of the field and watched as the crews of foxes cleared the area for the meeting. The large size of the chiefs made diplomacy a hard thing to deal with, but luckily the fox realm boasted large and relatively level fields. Wouldn't want GamaBunta's sake cup splashing over. Ino sighed and wrapped her arms around Naruto's waist as she soaked in the awe-inspiring beauty of _their _home.

"It's so gorgeous Naruto. How did I get so lucky?"

Naruto smelled salt in the air and looked down to see tears in Ino's eyes. She looked up at him, practically beaming.

"I'm a lucky person Naruto. I have you, I have Hikaru, and I'm a queen to a whole realm. What did I do to deserve this?"

Naruto smiled down at his wife and kissed her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She pressed herself into his chest and sobbed. He leant down and whispered into her ear.

"It's because you're a good person Ino. Good deeds are always rewarded in the end. You came and made mine and Hikaru's lives complete again. You brought me back to our friends. You've taken care of me for nearly two years now. I couldn't imagine life without you now. No matter how much of a pain in the ass you are sometimes. I love you Ino."

Ino looked up at her husband and smiled, before nuzzling back into his chest.

"You were on such a roll and then you fucked it up. Nice save telling me you love me though."

Things were silent for a moment until Ino began to squirm. Naruto's eyes flew open and he began to chant 'no' over and over in his head.

"Hey Naruto?"

"Yes?"

"Are there any…secluded places that most foxes don't go?"

"Yeah…why?"

She shot him a vicious grin and gripped onto his butt with both hands.

"Because I've always wanted to do it outside. Let's go."

Naruto hung his head in defeat and led the way to his doom. Hopefully she wouldn't wear him completely out before the meeting


	17. Chapter 17

And here's Chapter 17. Had a lot of fun with this one. I think I need my head examined due to all the dirty, dirty humor I throw around in my stories. Some people like it though. COMEDY IS KING! And if you don't like funny stuff, why the hell are you reading this? Anyhoo, enjoy my sad, sad attempts at what married life is like for a demon. Readers, reviewers, thank you...An Evening With El Diablo.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Naruto sighed as he and Ino stood in the middle of the field they would use for the talks. It wasn't bad enough his wife was horny as a cat in their normal lives, now she was in heat and excited as hell at the prospect of seeing their kingdom. It wasn't often he had to be the adult in their relationship, but now he found himself growing tired of having to keep her reeled in. Damn, if only he'd thought to bring a leash…he blushed at that thought. Ino was kinky enough. He didn't need to be giving her any more playful ideas. Unfortunately for him, Ino had been concentrating on his thoughts, having nothing better to do, and grinned at him.

"You know, we never have done a master-slave kind of thing. Good idea honey."

"Ino, seriously, don't get any ideas while we're here. We have to keep a certain amount of dignity."

"Awww, come on Naruto. You don't think the female population would find it cute seeing me lead you around with a leash? Personally, I think you'd look hot in a spiked collar."

"That is not what I was imagining and you know it! Besides there ain't no way in hell you could get me to let you put a collar on me."

Ino grinned ferally and put her face right into his. With her hormones out of whack, the close contact was getting to her. She breathed heavily as she ground out her retort.

"Wanna bet?"

As Naruto sputtered, trying to think up a viable reason not to, he felt the ground shake and looked around for the source. To his left, he saw the leaping of a few toad shaped objects. To his right, were the undulating shapes of what appeared to be slugs. And to his rear, were the familiar movements of a snake.

'Thank Kami for small miracles. And it seems that Handra came on his own. Interesting.'

They both watched as GamaBunta, GamaKichi, and GamaTatsu bounded into the clearing, sending the foxes that had been preparing the area scurrying for safety. No sense in hanging around if the guests had arrived. GamaBunta looked around for his former summoner and could not find him. He frowned and turned to his two children, seeing they were also looking around for him. The brat had always been a stickler for punctuality…

"Hey you old geezer! Down here!"

Bunta looked down at his feet and saw the two blondes standing before him. He leaned down and focused on Naruto.

**Oi brat. Why aren't you in your true form? That's a sign of disrespect you know.**

"I am in my true form. I like this form best, so it's my true form. Besides, it's kind of weird looking at you guys on eye level and Ino can't get that big yet. I don't want her feeling left out."

**That is most noble Naruto-san. I admire that in a man, unlike other associates of mine.**

Naruto turned to see Katsuyu behind him, with what he thought was a smile on her face. Her voice certainly sounded mirthful. Bunta scoffed and blew a large cloud of smoke from his pipe.

**Bah, this boy has never been noble. I've known him for years Katsuyu. Don't let that façade fool you. He's only acting like that because his wife would brain him if he wasn't a good boy.**

**Be that as it may GamaBunta, you should take a page out of his book. You act much too like a Yakuza than a proper chief. Your father was not nearly so abrasive.**

**And my father wasn't able to keep the toads in line like I do.**

Naruto was about to put his two cents in when a presence came onto the field and they all turned to see Handra in all his glory. Despite the fact that there is no way for a snake to _not_ look menacing, he was certainly making an effort of it.

**Good day to you all chieftains. I, Handra, humbly ask that you forgive me for arriving late.**

"Don't worry Lord Handra. You arrived exactly when you meant to. And that just happened to be right on the time we set. Now then, I would ask all the chiefs to state their names and their affiliations."

**GamaBunta, boss of the Mt. Myoboku toads. With me are my sons, GamaKichi and GamaTatsu. They will act as my witnesses to this meeting.**

**Katsuyu, mistress of the slugs. I have two of my subordinates with me acting as my witnesses.**

**Handra, Lord of the serpents. I have no witnesses, being a newly named Lord and I still have some opposition.**

"And I am Uzumaki Naruto, King of the Fox Realm. With me is my wife and queen, Uzumaki Ino. She will be my witness to this meeting."

All the chiefs bowed to each other reverently and as soon as they popped up, Handra looked toward Naruto.

**Forgive me for asking Lord Naruto, but why are you not in your true form? It is in bad taste to put yourself beneath us when you stand on equal ground.**

Bunta snorted and Naruto thought he heard him mumble something along the lines of 'Told you so', earning him glares from both Ino and Katsuyu. Naruto sighed and addressed Handra.

"I prefer this form Lord Handra. It lets me have greater mobility and my power is not affected by it. I took the life of an eight-tailed elder when I arrived in this form. Trust me when I say it is not an act of disrespect toward you. It is simply my preferred form."

**Very well. Forgive me for interrupting. You may continue.**

"Don't feel the need to apologize so much Lord Handra. We are all equals here. We're just here to discuss an alliance between our realms and people. That's all."

**Then why have you asked me here Lord Naruto? It is no secret that the toads and slugs have been at odds with the serpents for a while now. I did not think that you would want an enemy at this meeting.**

"That is precisely why I wanted you here most of all. The petty in fighting has gone on long enough. Bunta's enemy Manda is dead and therefore he has no reason really to hate the snakes anymore. Katsuyu is an ally of Bunta's and therefore would side with him, although there was no love lost between her people and the snakes either. Manda really made a mess out of things. The feud between the Sannin didn't help either."

Bunta nodded his head and put his webbed feet inside his sleeves.

**That is true. While Manda and I did not get along, I personally hold no enmity toward you Handra. I am willing to bury the hatchet with the snakes as long as they do not fight my people.**

**I, as well, Handra, will not fight you if you do not strike first.**

Handra looked from one to the other and then back at Naruto.

**I accept those terms. They are reasonable and fair. However, I wish to know what you get out of this Lord Naruto.**

"I get the satisfaction of knowing that my comrades are all friendly. We are all summons of the Leaf Village and therefore we should not fight. As you suspect, however, there are other underlying motives for my calling this meeting."

**And those would be?**

"I want you to guarantee me that if the Uchiha calls you, you will not fight a loyal Konoha nin. Sasuke is a greedy, manipulative bastard and he will not hesitate to use you for his dirty work. You seem to be an honorable being Handra, and I would like it if we could part here on amicable terms."

**I…would like that as well. I do not have any wish to fight those I deem…worthy of my loyalty. I…was not impressed with my summoner when I was called forth that day. He exudes an aura of malice and evil. Manda was such a being and I was shaken every time I came into contact with him. I agree not to be hostile towards Leaf nin.**

"That's good, because my son is soon to be a ninja, along with his two half-siblings. I would like it very much if you swear never to help Sasuke where they are concerned."

**Your son? The boy who hugged you that day? I see. I will not help him harm your family. In fact, I am currently thinking of reviewing whether or not that man deserves to be summoner of the snakes.**

"You have another who would love to be chief summoner."

**Ah yes, the Anko woman. She is…eccentric…to say the least. I have been summoned by her several times, since Manda would not allow her to call him. She is…scary, for a human.**

The other three summons threw their heads back and roared with laughter. Calling Anko scary was an understatement. Ino giggled to herself and scooted closer to Naruto. She didn't like snakes, even if it was a friendly one. GamaBunta finally got himself under control and wiped a tear from his eye.

**Ah, that was good. I tell you though Handra, for sheer eccentricity, you can't beat Rock Lee, my summoner. That boy is weird. He has a good heart, but he is just plain weird. And I want to take my sword to those eyebrows every time I see him.**

**Indeed. My summoner, Haruno Sakura, is a bit off kilter as well. She…talks to herself at times. It's quite disturbing. What about you Naruto?**

Naruto grinned and pulled Ino closer.

"My summoner is strange too. Why just the other day she tackled me and…"

Before he could say another word, Ino hit him in the jaw, sending him to his back. She was flushed red and bowed quickly to the other chiefs.

"I'm very sorry. He can be a handful sometimes."

Handra sniffed the air and looked at the queen of foxes.

**Hmm…you smell…a little bit…strange, Lady Ino. Are you perhaps…in the season?**

Ino blushed further and turned away, quickly shaking her head. Handra tilted his head quizzically and turned to the other two summons.

**Correct me if I'm wrong, honored chieftains, but does she not give off pheromones like one that is in heat?**

Bunta had been trying to hold in his laughter the whole time. His two sons, however, did not have the composure he did and were howling at the top of their lungs. Naruto sat back up quickly and pulled Ino to his lap, where she hid her face in his shoulder.

"Now, now Ino, there's nothing to be ashamed of. It's a purely biological thing. And yes, Lord Handra, to answer your question, she is in heat."

Katsuyu looked at her thoughtfully and nodded her head.

**Tell me Lady Ino, will this be your first child?**

Ino simply stared into Naruto's shoulder, but her eyes cut to Katsuyu.

**I see. I believe you should talk to Lady Tsunade or Lady Sakura about the birth process. It would benefit you.**

Ino suddenly shouted out over the clearing.

"Why is it that everyone speaks as if I'm already pregnant?"

Katsuyu and GamaBunta simply stared at her. They'd been around a long time and knew; they just knew when someone was pregnant. It was the aura and scent they gave off. Ino didn't want to hear that though. Unfortunately for her, Handra was a snake of honor and deemed it his task to tell her.

**Lady Ino, you are pregnant though. I can smell it on you that you are with child. I'm certain my fellow chieftains can as well. Allow me to congratulate you on that.**

Ino sat stunned in Naruto's lap. For several minutes, the chiefs talked amongst themselves, the business already out of the way, and discussed what they did in their separate realms to keep their subordinates in line. Handra found this especially helpful, since some of the snakes were not very forthcoming with him being the chief. Suddenly, Ino's eyes lit up and she tackled Naruto in a monstrous hug.

"OH MY GOD, I'M PREGNANT! I'M GONNA BE A MOTHER! I LOVE YOU!"

Naruto simply held his wife as she continued to blubber into his neck and looked at the other chiefs for a bit of help. They merely looked at him with smug looks. Bunta smirked and puffed on his pipe, as GamaKichi and GamaTatsu looked on, their shoulders shaking with unheard laughter.

**Congratulations brat. I hope that those kids of yours are twice the hellion you were so you know what being a father is all about.**

"I'm a father already thank you very much. I know how to raise children."

GamaKichi came over and slapped him on the shoulder goodnaturedly.

**Yeah bro, but Hikaru's a human. You're going to be dealing with full-blooded demon children. Foxes at that. You're going to have your hands full. Remember how hyperactive you were? Times that by ten.**

Naruto paled and looked at Ino, who was still blabbering about motherhood and how great it was going to be. A thought suddenly came to him and it made him shudder.

'Don't foxes have litters?'

He didn't share that thought with Ino at that moment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The rest of the talk went without incident. It was hard not to be upbeat and optimistic with each other when Ino was chatting with Katsuyu about motherhood. The slug was graciously patient with the chatterbox and soon declared her departure back to her own realm. She swore her allegiance to their pact and left.

Handra as well was happy that he had come. His own realm was in a bit of a bind right now, but with the support of his new allies, he was sure he could claim his rightful place and end all the senseless bickering amongst his people. And as sure as his name was Handra, he swore never to aid Sasuke in any of his endeavors against the Uzumakis. If the question was ever put to him, he would revoke the Uchiha's summoner contract immediately. He bade the Uzumakis and GamaBunta a good day and slunk back off to his realm.

GamaBunta puffed on his pipe and looked down at Naruto.

**Tell me brat, why did you not invite the other Konoha summons? You know, Enma, the dogs, the turtles…why aren't they here too?**

Naruto struck a thoughtful pose and was quiet for a while.

"I guess…because I don't know them all that well. I know the apes were Sarutobi's personal summon, but I've never seen one. I don't even know if Konohamaru can summon one or not. As for the dogs and turtles, I don't know who their bosses are, so I didn't want to call for them. Besides, if they're powerful, we'll meet them one day. So, old frog, what do you think?"

Bunta blew out another ring of smoke and contemplated his answer. The brat had grown in recent years and he was grateful for that. He couldn't stay an idiot forever after all.

**I think you did well here Naruto. Not many would have dared call a meeting of chieftains. But then again, you never went by conventional standards have you?**

Bunta sucked on his pipe again and looked down at his sons.

**So, what do you two think of Naruto's kingdom?**

GamaKichi looked up at his father and grinned.

**I like it. It's not as wet as ours but it's nice. Really green. Hey bro, think I can visit here often?**

"I don't see why not. If your father makes you the official go-between of our two realms I think you could come and go as you please. Just don't step on any baby foxes and you should be good."

**I wouldn't do that. Unless they were really annoying.**

**GamaKichi…**

**Kidding, Pops, kidding. Sure thing Naruto, I'd love to be the go-between. By the way, aren't you kind of…calm, considering you just found out your wife is pregnant?**

Naruto shrugged and grinned at his friend.

"Eh, I've already had one kid. The novelty of pregnancy kind of wore off. What could possibly be different?"

GamaBunta smirked.

**Tell me brat, how was Ino when she was a human in biological matters?**

"What, you mean like period and all that shit? She was like any other girl, except she was Ino, so she was really bitchy.

**Uh huh. Considering things of a sexual nature, how was she?**

"Bunta! Geez man, try to show a little restraint. Um, let's see…she was a wild woman when she was mortal. Really, really wild. Like, above the norm."

**Over abundant sex drive. And now that she's queen of the foxes?**

"Well, she's a lot worse when she wants it. God, the other day we got into a scuffle, rolled down the stairs and it turned her on! Her hormones are crazy as a demon. I don't…"

The smirk on Bunta's face got bigger and bigger, and GamaKichi and GamaTatsu's laughs got louder and louder.

"Oh my god. Bunta, she's going to kill me during pregnancy isn't she? I remember how Sakura blamed me for her condition. And she had super strength! Ino's going to slit my goddamned throat in my sleep once she gets fat! She'll suffocate me! And that's if I survive all the mood swings and random wantings for sex. Oh man, what am I gonna do?"

**Run away?**

**Stay in the fox kingdom?**

**Suck it up and act like a man brat. You've got at least one on the way now. I don't know how being human will have messed with your demon physiology, but your woman is pregnant and you've got nine months of hell.**

"You know, I can hear you guys clear across the clearing. It's not like you can whisper very well Bunta."

Naruto tensed and turned slowly to find his wife with her arms crossed and her toe tapping a rythym into the dirt. He cracked a half-hearted grin and quickly wondered how he was going to get out of this.

"Hey honey. Um, you sure look pretty. Have I told you I love you lately?"

"Nice try jackass. It's my first time being pregnant and all I wanted was a little understanding and love from my supportive husband and I can't even get that! You don't love me at all."

Naruto looked at her in disbelief. Surely it was too early for mood swings yet. Ino was just being her usual manipulative self in order to get something. He sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. She shrugged him away and continued her crocodile tears. Naruto wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Ok Ino, what do you want? I know for a fact you're just acting."

She turned and looked at him with wide eyes. Her act had always worked in the past. Naruto grinned and tapped the side of his head. Ino cursed in her mind.

'Damn, he probably heard that too.'

'Sure did babe. You can't fool me, no matter how cute you look when you're pouting.'

"Fine. As soon as we get back, we're going to see my parents and tell them I'm pregnant. Can't you even pretend to be happy that we're having a baby?"

Naruto smiled at her gently and pulled her in close, kissing her forehead.

"Oh Ino, I'm ecstatic that we're having a baby. It's just I've been a parent before so I've been here before. It's all new to you and I love that. I'm sure you'll look lovely when you're pregnant."

He sat there holding her for several moments with his eyes closed.

"So what, I'm not pretty or lovely right now?"

He didn't open his eyes or twitch a bit.

"Don't ruin the moment sweety."

**Awww, aren't you two the cutest thing?**

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE FROG! YOU'RE RUINING THE MOMENT!"

"INO!"

"What? I'm sorry, but GamaKichi's being an asshole."

Naruto sighed and turned back to his friend, who was chuckling like crazy.

"Kichi, do you mind? I was in the middle of a heartfelt talk."

**No problem bro. I'll talk to you later. Ino, it was good seeing you again. And congratulations.**

"Bye Kichi. We'll see you later."

As GamaKichi hopped away to catch up to his father and brother, Naruto looked back down to the woman in his lap and smiled. Ino was contentedly rubbing her belly, as if trying to feel the life growing within her. Naruto placed his hand on top of hers and kissed her.

"You'll be a great mom Ino. Now let's go inform the council and go back home."

"Sure, just as soon as you lose those pants."

"Ino…"

"Strip. Now. Blame it on the hormones."

"Ino, everyone can see…"

"No one can see us. Everyone's gone."

"Ino…"

"GIMMEE YER WEE WEE NOW!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After informing the entire realm that the queen was pregnant and dealing with a multitude of ecstatic well wishing foxes, Naruto was glad to relax in the palace for the night before going home in the morning. As he lay beside Ino, with her snuggling against him, he thought back to earlier that day and burst into giggles. Ino looked up at him sleepily and yawned.

"Wha's so funny?"

"Gimmee yer wee wee?"

Ino looked at him and blushed, before punching him in the arm.

"What? I was horny and I didn't hear you complaining."

"That's because I was laughing too hard to defend myself."

"Get some sleep asshole. We're going home tomorrow and we're talking to my parents."

She snuggled back into his side and closed her eyes when she felt him shaking. She cracked one eye open and saw him staring back at her with a big ass grin.

"Wee wee."

"GO TO SLEEP YOU FUCKING STUPID ASS!"

It's a good thing he was the king; otherwise he would've been sleeping on the couch.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As they appeared back in the Uzumaki household, Naruto suddenly felt a sense of apprehension hit him. This wasn't like telling her parents that he wanted to marry her. They could have rejected him then. This was telling them that they had a demonic grandchild on the way. Oh well, as long as it was cute, Yuka probably wouldn't care. Hopefully.

Tsunade and Sakura took the news as well as most women do. They were bouncing up and down like kids on a sugar high. Hikaru was happy to have another sibling and wanted to know what it was going to be. Naruto chuckled and told him they wouldn't know that for a while yet. Hikaru was disappointed but otherwise happy. Juugo and Karin didn't know what to think, but were happy for Naruto and Ino regardless. Naruto sat explaining things to the kids while the three women had girl talk.

"So Ino, how does it feel to be a mother?"

"It feels good Lady Tsunade. I think I'll like being a mother. I'm already a mom, but starting from scratch will be a new experience. I can't wait."

Tsunade saw Sakura wince when Ino said she was already a mom, but it was the truth. Nothing could be done about that. Forgetting her apprentice's uncomfortability for the moment, she asked about Ino's parents.

"I don't know yet. We haven't gone to tell them. We did just get back."

A predatory gleam came into Tsunade's eyes and she grinned slyly.

"Well then, we'd better go tell them hadn't we?"

"We?"

"Yes, we. I want to see how Inoichi reacts to being a grandfather."

"How do you think mom will act?"

Tsunade shrugged.

"Probably the same way me and Sakura did. She'll squeal a bit, give you lots of hugs, and then she'll threaten Naruto."

Sakura smirked and stood up.

"Oh yeah, I definitely have to see this. Well, let's gather the kids up and go grandparent hunting."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto was nervous the whole trek to the Yamanaka household. He hadn't really had to tell Sakura's parents when Hikaru was conceived. She didn't want him there when she told them. This was a new development for him too and, even though they had told him they wanted grandbabies, he wasn't sure how they'd take it. He just wasn't comfortable at the moment.

Ino was bouncing up and down as they walked down the road. She couldn't wait to see the look on her parents' faces when she told them the news. Things were definitely looking up. As the group approached the door of the Yamanka home, Tsunade and Sakura were barely able to contain their giggles. This would be worth watching.

Ino greeted her mother with a hug and her father with a kiss on the cheek. The women all accepted Yuka's offer of tea and sat down on the various chairs and couches to watch the show. Inoichi sat beside his wife and Naruto sat beside Ino. If Sakura and Tsunade would have had popcorn it would have been perfect. The kids sat not really knowing what was happening. The foxes were intrigued about the whole situation. Usually, the vulpine did not make such a big deal out of children. Kits were a blessing but they were also a part of life. The hullabaloo surrounding the whole event was…strange.

Yamanaka Yuka was suspicious of her daughter's arrival with her husband and friends in tow. The last time a get together this large involved her daughter and son-in-law the two were getting married. Naturally, she wanted answers.

"Ino dear, not that I mind you coming here, because I love when you do, but why are you all here. You and Naruto aren't getting a divorce are you?"

"Mom! No, we aren't getting a divorce. We just have something to tell you and daddy something important."

Inoichi sat on the edge of his seat. His daughter never talked about 'important' things to them. She was much too secretive and private. Ino watched her father and waited until he took a sip of tea to drop her bomb.

"I'm pregnant."

Inoichi choked on his tea and began to choke, prompting Naruto to clap him on the back to loosen up his esophagus. Yuka launched herself at her daughter and began hugging her relentlessly while crying something unintelligible about grandbabies. Once Inoichi caught his breath, he slapped Naruto on the back, shook his hand, and crushed him in a hug. Poor Naruto had no clue what to do and just stood there like a statue.

"So Naruto, finally lived up to expectations eh? I thought it would take you longer than a year to get the ball rolling but you barely made it. I was joking about the year thing you know. There wasn't any reason to rush."

"It…it wasn't like that sir…"

"Inoichi, please. Naruto, I'm your father in law. At least treat me like one of the guys."

"All…all right then Inoichi. It's not like we planned this."

"Most don't."

"But…Ino's different now, you understand. She's a demoness and therefore her…physiology is different. Her biological clock is different. She's been in heat and that pretty much guarantees that she'll get pregnant."

Inoichi paled at the implications. If Ino came into heat every year, Naruto would have to lock her away in a dark room until it passed…or invest in adamantium chastity belts. Otherwise, the village would be overrun by little Uzumakis. He put on a smile for his son in law and clapped his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Um…just how often does she come into…heat?"

Naruto shrugged and turned to look at the hugfest going on between Ino and a blubbering Yuka. He shuddered, wondering when the woman was going to latch onto him.

"We don't know. A human has never turned demon that we know of, so we're kind of a test group. Hopefully, it won't be every year. I don't know how I'd keep her off me if that happened."

"Keep her off you, you say? So it's been…difficult?"

Naruto stared at Inoichi like he'd grown another head and laughed his ass off.

"You have no idea how awkward it is discussing the particulars of my…sex life with my father in law. Yes, it's difficult. Ino emits a pheromone that is like a drug to me. No matter how much I try to resist, I simply can't. And even when I do resist she…"

Naruto mumbled the last part and Inoichi leaned in, asking what he'd said.

"I said she just takes it anyway ok?"

Inoichi tried not to laugh, he really did, but the thought of Ino overpowering the most powerful demon alive just so she could have some nookie was a funny thought indeed. The Yamanakas were a very open family when it came to marital life and weren't ashamed to discuss things. It probably came with being a family of mind-walkers, but then again, it could be their very nature.

"So…my little girl, who weighs all of 110 pounds soaking wet, is able to just…take it? That's rich."

"It's not funny man. She's freaking scary when she gets like that. Tell you what; let's play a little game. Imagine your wife. She's in the mood and she wants to play. Now let's say you don't want to give it up. What's she gonna do?"

"Whine and cry until I give in."

"Ok, that's how Ino used to be. Must run in the family. Now, she fights me until she gets into my pants. Literally fights me. The other day I wouldn't let her have any, so she tackled me, we tussled on the floor, by which I mean we kicked and punched and bit and scratched, rolled down a flight of stairs and It. Turned. Her. On."

Inoichi's eyes went wide. He knew that demons were a rough sort, but…damn. He felt sorry for his son in law. Inoichi was about to reply to that until a weeping bundle of happiness known as Yuka tackled Naruto and was crying into his chest. It was hard to make out her muffled words but 'baby', 'thank', and 'happy' were among the only legible ones. Inoichi hauled his wife off Naruto and Ino helped her husband back to his feet. Yuka immediately latched herself onto Ino again, crying out how happy she was to have grandbabies finally.

Naruto and Inoichi decided to celebrate by hitting the bar and getting stone cold drunk. Shikaku and Chouza were already there and were surprised to see Inoichi with his son in law in tow. They welcomed the boy with open arms as drinking partners were always in high demand among shinobi. And it wasn't every day you got to drink with a demon lord. Shikaku finished off his saucer of sake and turned to Inoichi.

"So, why are the two of you in here? It isn't often you bring guests Inoichi."

"We're here to celebrate my becoming a grandparent. Barkeep! A round for my friends and I."

Chouza and Shikaku were ecstatic and heartily congratulated the expectant father and grandfather. Inoichi had wanted grandchildren forever it seemed and had been wondering if Ino would ever get married before Naruto came along. Soon enough all the men were sloshed, with the exception of Naruto. No amount of liquor was enough to get him tipsy. Inoichi turned bleary eyes to Naruto and poured himself another drink.

"Hey, Nar'to, I been meaning to axe you. Are my grandbabies gon' be human or are they going to be all fuzzy?"

Poor Inoichi was soon cursing after Naruto spit his drink all over him. Shikaku and Chouza laughed at the whole proceedings. Naruto wasn't one to let a jab go though. He took a sip of his drink and faced Inoichi with a grin.

"I don't know. We still haven't figured out if she's having just one or a whole litter."

It was Naruto's turn to curse that time.


	18. Chapter 18

And here's Chapter 18. All right folks, I caved. I said I'd never do it, but too many of you bugged me about it. I hope you enjoy my pitiful attempts. To some of you, my story just earned its Mature rating. To others, it already had it. Don't get your hopes up about this happening again however. I just thought that since so many fans wanted it, I owed it to you for reading. Be gentle, it's my first time. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Re-Align.

**Be sure to check out my new voting poll on my profile page. I declare Bloodline won with a whopping 67. The Bleach option was never going to catch that. Vote for your favorite story now.**

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

It had been nearly six months since they'd told everyone that Ino was pregnant. Naruto was pleasantly surprised that Ino's parents took her being pregnant so well. He chalked it up to their being a very open family and wanting desperately for grandchildren. He did think it a little odd that Inoichi was so open about…sexual matters regarding his daughter, but Naruto was never one to look a gift-horse in the mouth. Besides, he had other things to worry about.

The fact that Ino was pregnant didn't bother him. Ever since he was little, Naruto wanted a large family. What worried him was that he didn't know how her pregnancy would go. Since they both had a human background, he suspected she would go the full nine months and give birth to a child with fox-like traits. But there was no way to confirm this until she gave birth. There was so much to do and so little time to do it.

Being king meant he could come and go as he pleased in the fox realm. That was a definite boon. In the past few months, he had left much of the ruling to the council, with the knowledge that if they got too power hungry, he'd do something…unpleasant to them. No one wanted to challenge the king so the fox realm was being run as a tight ship.

Negotiations with the other bosses had been absolutely great. They all had emissaries going between realms, relaying messages and offering to help one another with whatever problems they might have. Naruto smiled as he lay in bed with his arms behind his head. Things were going so smoothly and if he had his way, they'd go smoothly for years to come.

The kids' training was great. They all caught onto their respective styles quickly and were fast becoming extremely talented in several fields. Juugo was deadly with his Muay Thai and had obliterated several training posts. His knees and elbows were like iron and once he had you in range there wasn't much you could do to stop him. Karin was like fluid grace come to life. The little girl had developed a hard head too, and those headbutts she used were dynamite. She'd knocked Lee for a loop one time…and that's saying something. Lee was loopy enough already; there was no need to add to that.

Naruto's smile widened as he thought of his son. Hikaru had come the furthest but then again, he had several years on his siblings. His feral 'Freestyle' was nearly on a level with the Inuzuka's own bestial style, but he lacked the pure physicality they had. Hikaru focused more on quick strikes and decapitating moves. Kiba had begun coming over frequently, bringing Hinata and their daughter with him, to gauge Hikaru's progress. Kiba kept his level down to that of a genin's but he was having trouble keeping up with Hikaru. Not to mention, his new dog, a pup of Akamaru's, wasn't fully trained yet and was still in the silly puppy stage. He nearly had his ass handed to him.

Naruto heard a sigh beside him and turned his head to see Ino snuggle her way further into his side. He chuckled and reached down to rub her swollen belly. She let out a contented moan at the contact and nuzzled her face into his shoulder. He had been correct when he had guessed her hormones would be more out of whack. But, instead of becoming more outrageous and outspoken than she already was, Ino became somewhat meeker and housewife like the further into her pregnancy she got. She wanted to be petted and massaged all the time. Basically, she wanted to be treated like a queen.

Naruto pulled his hand away from her belly, eliciting a dissatisfied groan from his wife, until he began to rub and massage again with his tails. He thanked Kami for the useful appendages. They saved him a lot of trouble over the past few months. As Ino drifted further into sleep, his thoughts turned back to the past again.

Hinata had been a delight when she came over and her daughter loved to play with the kids. She had a small crush on Juugo and the little boy had no idea what to do. He'd asked Hikaru how he handled Kaoru and the pinky blonde just shrugged.

"I don't know how to handle her. She pretty much does what she wants. I'm telling you, Dad cursed me with bad luck with women."

When Ino heard that she had brained the poor child with one of her tails while telling him that Kaoru was a sweet girl and he'd better give her a chance. Naruto chuckled again as he remembered how the boy had finally conceded and promised to give her a chance, while swearing to find a way to get back at his mom. Ino's content purring beside him brought him to other thoughts.

Sasuke had not tried to cause any more problems since that one-day and that made Naruto worry. He knew that the Uchiha was a pride driven individual and wouldn't let the slight to his 'honor' (however little there is) slide so easily. He'd have to be on guard all the time.

His foxes had been running the kingdom quite well and messengers popped up all the time to bring him a piece of news or to get an opinion on something. Often times, it was in the middle of the market or while he was training the children, or when they were at a restaurant. It became commonplace and for most of Konoha, was not an issue any more. Foxes popped up all the time. Some couldn't find him right off the bat and asked civilians if they'd seen him. He'd find them playing with the local kids at a playground, or eating at a restaurant, or one time, drinking in a bar. The vulpine were an eclectic bunch…

He turned to his wife and saw that she was now on her back, enjoying the ministrations of his tails in her sleep. A devilish thought crossed his mind. She had forbidden him from putting his 'little buddy' anywhere near her crotch while she was pregnant and he had to resort to his own devices, or if Ino was feeling it, a good blowjob every once in a while. Those were few and far between however, since she had hit her fifth month. If he wasn't so loyal to her, he could have had concubines in the fox realm. He shuddered at that though. He might be their king, but he still had a stigma against furry sex.

Ino was having a really good sleep. Something kept rubbing her swollen tummy and it felt really good. If she hadn't sworn off sex until after the baby was born, she'd be all over Naruto right now. The rubbing wasn't helping though. It was making her hot and if it kept up, she was going to need release…badly. She hadn't had any in so long it was about to bring her to tears.

Naruto watched as Ino began to squirm and moan under the touch of his tails and made up his mind that, even if she claimed she didn't want it, she needed that release. She was like an engine about to blow. He peeled back the covers. The sheets were soaked and it wasn't from sweat. The smell from her was intoxicating; he just had to have a taste. He leant down slowly and settled between her legs. Drawing his breath in, he blew slowly across her folds.

Ino's eyes snapped open when she felt the warm air blow across her. She tried to sit up but found herself held down by four of his tails, while the other five continued to massage her belly. She moaned loudly and tried to break free. Naruto grinned up at her from between her legs.

"Morning honey. Feeling alright?"

"Yes, I'm feeling great. Can you let me go now?"

"But honey, look at you down here. You're an absolute mess. It would be wrong of me not to clean up since I'm already down here."

"Naruto, please…don't…"

"Oh Ino, it's alright. Trust me. Now you just relax, let me handle everything."

"But the baby…"

"Trust me, he won't know. And you need this sweetie."

He kissed her on the clit and licked it. Ino groaned lustily and threw her head back, panting heavily.

"See? You've held back too long. Now lay back and enjoy."

He held onto his promise of not putting anything in her, but he never swore he wouldn't torture her outer areas. He continued his ritual of kissing and licking her anywhere and everywhere, waiting for her initial release.

Ino was on fire. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, all she could do was pant and write in sweet bliss. The agony of not having come in over a month was so painful. She gripped the bedsheets, nearly tearing them to pieces as the knot in her stomach grew more and more painful, until she threw her head back and screamed wordlessly as she came.

Naruto knew his wife had been backed up, but when she essentially flooded the bed, he was, for lack of a better word, stupefied. His face was literally awash with her scent and it was driving him crazy. He sat there licking the essence off his face as Ino sat up in bed, free of his tails, panting like no tomorrow.

She knew that going without release was a bad idea, but she hadn't known exactly how bad. That was the hardest she'd ever come, and she felt…spectacular. As she got her breath back, she looked at her husband, who was currently cleaning off what he could, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. She could taste herself on his lips. She tasted sweet, like nectar. As their tongues battled back and forth, she found his manhood and gripped it tightly, making him moan.

"I think it's my turn to say 'good morning' to you now."

Naruto just watched as she leaned down and soon his entire being was inside of her. His hands flew to her hair and began to wind his fingers through her golden locks. Just as he was there, she slid off him with a 'pop' and gripped his base tightly.

"Uh Uh, not yet. I want you to tell me every time you're about to blow, because you don't get to until the fifth time. Understand?"

"Ugh…Ino, don't do this to me this early in the morning…"

She didn't say anything and went back to bobbing up and down. Soon, after his first four attempts, she finally let him come and nearly drowned trying to get it all down. She swallowed it all with a big gulp and collapsed on her pillow, Naruto right behind her, just as spent. Ino rolled to her side and kissed him deeply.

"Didn't I say not to do that until the baby was born?"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't make it till the baby's born. You needed that."

She sighed and leaned against his shoulder again, as he wrapped his tails around her.

"Yeah I did. Remember what today is?"

"Yep, it's the kids' first day of school. Think we should get up and get things ready for them?"

"Nah, let's lay here a bit longer. You kind of wore me out."

Naruto chuckled and tickled her with a tail.

"So I was finally able to wear you out huh? Maybe we should make all our sessions a month apart."

"Don't even think about it buddy. I happen to like what you do. You just wait till the baby's here. I have a lot of lost time to make up for."

Naruto sighed and sat up, bringing Ino up with him.

"Since we're not going back to sleep and we don't have to get up for a while, let me give you a massage."

"Will you massage my feet and ankles? They kind of hurt."

He just nodded and flipped her around to begin his husbandly duties.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was a good thing Naruto had installed those silencing seals when Ino had moved in with him, otherwise that entire side of Konoha would have heard her scream. The couple finally made it to the bathroom and got washed up before starting the day. It wouldn't do to have to explain to the children why they smelled of sex so much. They dressed in their normal clothing and walked downstairs to find everyone already in the kitchen.

Tsunade and Sakura were preparing breakfast in the large kitchen while the kids talked excitedly about going to school finally. The foxes sat and watched from their various perches and waited to have their breakfast. Everyone turned and watched as the king and queen came down the stairs, and Sakura leaned in to Tsunade and whispered about how Ino was 'glowing'. The older blonde snickered and nodded her head. Ino glared at the two and took her seat. Naruto sat beside her and smiled at the children.

"So, you guys ready to go to the academy? You excited?"

A chorus of 'yeses' reached his ears and he laughed.

"You say that now, wait until Iruka has you studying about history and theory. You'll really hate it then."

"Naruto, don't try to scare them. Don't listen to him kids, he's just jealous because he sucked at schoolwork."

Small talk was exchanged as the family ate breakfast and soon they all set off for the academy. The foxes had eaten several steaks that Naruto had bought for them and were appreciative of their king's generosity. They made quite the procession going down the street. Most smiled and bowed to the royal family and bade Sakura and Tsunade 'good morning'. Naruto sighed happily as he wrapped his arm around Ino's waist. He loved walking through the village now. When he was younger, it was a fight for survival.

Ino was proud of her stepson and her best friend's children. They were all going to do great and with the training they'd been given, would be miles above everyone else. She could only hope that Sasuke wouldn't cause any problems or try to kidnap the kids again, because she was fairly certain that Naruto would kill him this time. Not that that bothered her, she just didn't want to fight those who thought Sasuke was on a level of his own, those who worshipped him like he was a god. She leaned further into Naruto's embrace and entwined one of her tails with one of his.

Tsunade watched her favorite blonde as he walked with his wife and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. She'd never had that since Dan and even though she loved Jiraiya, she'd never admit it. She had too much fun with him as it was. She'd simply content herself with looking after Hikaru and whatever else little bundle of joy (or bundles) that Naruto and Ino produced. Yes, she'd fill her role of grandmother quite well, although sharing with Yuka might be a problem. Ah well, if she wanted her grandbaby, she was tough enough to get it.

Sakura walked along the path, glancing down proudly at her children. She might no longer be the chief woman in Hikaru's life, but Juugo and Karin looked to her for advice and support and she was happy to give it. She looked to her children't guardians and found Shin bouncing along happily, trying to get Karin psyched up. That fox was an endless bundle of energy. He reminded her of Lee. She still had yet to take him up on his offer of a date, but perhaps it was time to get back on the scene. Lee was a good man and the kids loved him. It wouldn't be a hard transition.

Gin kept throwing glances at his over-exuberant counterpart and sighed audibly. Shin was too easily excitable. He'd brought Karin's level of confidence up though and that was a blessing. Gin's problem lay in getting the hotheaded Juugo, who was talking animatedly to his siblings, to calm down and think clearly. It had been a battle, but he'd finally managed. Why couldn't the boy be as well behaved as Hikaru? Gin sighed again. The reason Hikaru was well behaved was because Genmaki made no bones about punishing him if he got out of line. Gin knew he had the authority, but that Sakura woman was a lot of trouble and he didn't want to have to explain bruises to her. So troublesome…

The academy finally came into view and they entered its yard to find dozens of children being escorted by their parents. Naruto looked around and became a little nostalgic. There was his swing, the one that used to keep him company when he was down. The group watched as he crossed the grounds to it and sat down, his weight slightly straining the old ropes. He made a mental note to bring some new rope for it. He waved the kids over and they stood in front of him.

"Ok kiddos, here we are. Today's the day. I want all three of you to be good, you understand? Iruka-sensei isn't one to be messed with. He'll punish you if you get out of line. Now I want you to pay close attention to him, ok? I know that you're all stronger than most academy students, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't respect them. They're here to learn just like you are. Do not use those fighting styles I taught you until the exams or if it's a last resort. You can seriously hurt someone with them. Don't show off any of your jutsus either. Just do the ones they ask you to use and move on. We'll continue to practice your jutsus at home. There's no need to show off. Ok, now go on. Have fun."

The three smiled at him and bounded off to a group of kids, introducing themselves. The adults watched as the girls stared at Hikaru with starry eyes and tried to touch his pinky blonde hair. Naruto chuckled as Hikaru's fanclub began to develop. Juugo and Karin tried to help their brother, but it was to no avail. The madness had begun. The only thought going through Hikaru's mind was 'Kaoru's going to be so pissed when she finds out…'

Gin, Genmaki, and Shin nodded to their regents and bounded after the children, to the squeals of delight from the kunoichi wannabes. Genmaki and Gin hated the attention while Shin seemed to thrive off it. But then again, Karin had been cuddling him for quite a while now. He was used to affectionate attention. Naruto let out a happy sigh and the group of adults walked inside to find Iruka.

Iruka had been having a good morning so far. It was the start of a new year, with new faces, and he even had Naruto and Sakura's children this time around. He shifted through the papers with his prospective students and looked up when he heard the door open. He smiled broadly when his surrogate son and family walked in.

"Naruto! What a pleasant surprise. Here to see off your offspring are you?"

"Yep, sure are. We just came to let you know they're here. If they get out of line, fell free to bust them down a level or two."

"I'll be sure to do that. I assume you're also here about something else however?"

"Of course. I have foxes guarding the kids. If Sasuke tries anything, they'll let me know. If that bastard tries anything, I expect you to let me know immediately Iruka. I won't put up with any of his bullshit. If I weren't so concerned with how a self-proclaimed guardian killing the Hokage would go over, he'd have been dead at the wedding. He needs to live for a little while longer though."

"I see. And you three, what do you think?"

Ino smiled and wrapped her arms around Naruto's waist from behind. Iruka looked at her bulging belly and smiled.

'Another Naruto running around. Great, that's all the world needs.'

"I'll go along with whatever Naruto wants."

"So will I."

"Me too."

"All right then. If Sasuke tries anything, I'll notify you immediately. But what about when they graduate? He has final say on the teams you know."

Naruto's eyes hardened and his hand slapped down onto the desktop.

"Trust me sensei, he will allow our children to be on a team together and Ino will be their team leader. Or, he won't have his children graduate and be on a team at all. Since they live in my house, they fall under my jurisdiction and I won't have them split up so he can manipulate them."

"You realize of course how unorthodox this is? Favoritism is not looked upon kindly in the academy."

Everyone scowled at Iruka when he said that and he immediately figured out that he had said something wrong. Naruto tried to be calm when he spoke.

"Favoritism isn't looked upon kindly? Don't make me laugh Iruka. This academy and this village are all about favoritism. If someone's farts so much as smells like it might be from a clan, this village will bow to them. I don't want my children raised in such an environment. I want them to build their own legacy, not use mine to springboard themselves to higher levels."

Iruka was sweating bullets. Naruto hadn't used any killing intent, but then again, he didn't have to. He was an imposing enough character with his tails flailing about angrily behind him. Ino was no better and both Tsunade and Sakura were cracking their knuckles. Iruka sighed in defeat and held his hands up in surrender.

"I'll do it, I'll do it. Geez Naruto, I thought we were close. You don't have to resort to threats."

"I didn't threaten you Iruka. I just…persuaded you with my awesomeness."

Even Ino winced at the lameness of her husband's joke. Deciding they had traumatized the poor man enough for one day, Ino latched her arm onto her husband's and began to drag him away.

"Sorry for the inconvenience Iruka-sensei. I'll just take him home now. Teach them well. Come on you two, don't you have to be at the hospital soon?"

Sakura and Tsunade both looked at their watches and cursed under their breath. Since she retired and Sakura divorced Sasuke, they had taken up jobs at the hospital to pass the time. Unfortunately for them, Shizune ran a tight ship and they'd probably be punished for being late. Oh well, shit happens. They bolted out the door, past the pregnant woman and a grumbling Naruto.

Ino knew what to do when her husband was in a bad mood and frankly, she was getting hungry again. Eating for two was, in the words of Shika, troublesome. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked and asked as sweetly as she could.

"Hey honey? You wanna get some ramen?"

Naruto's eyes immediately lit up and he scooped her into his arms, running past all the children while shouting about Ichiraku's. The three children and foxes under his care hung their heads in embarrassment and shame. When asked if they knew who that was, they tried to deny any knowledge of the weirdo. A stern cough from Genmaki made them all fess up however…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That evening was a grand affair at the Uzumaki household. Naruto made some of his famous barbeque and all his friends were invited. Everyone was having a splendid time, asking the children how the first day of school was, catching up, and generally having a good time. Shikamaru held Chouji back from the barbeque while Ino was chatting it up with TenTen, Sakura, and Hinata about kids. Kiba was rough housing with the kids, while Gai and Lee were challenging each other to absurd stunts. Lee had called GamaKichi so he could say hello to Hikaru and congratulate him. Tsunade and Jiraiya were engrossed in their own little drinking game while Penni tried to goad Shikamaru into a game of chess. He would have complied if Chouji had behaved.

Naruto was enjoying himself while he cooked. Having clones help was such a wonderful thing. Cutting the potatoes for potato salad, making a garden salad, baking rolls, slathering barbeque sauce on the several hundred pounds of meat…they were most useful. He had finally allowed Chouji a plate so that Shikamaru could rest and play a game with Penni. Suddenly he heard cries of 'youth' and 'what a youthful fox you are' and slapped his forehead, dragging his hand down over his face. He'd forgotten never to introduce Shin to Gai and Lee. Now they were all in deep shit.

Luckily, Sakura saw through the crisis by dragging the fox away from the green clad taijutsu master and toad master, despite Shin's cries of protest. And things were finally beginning to look normal…

Shino showed up later with his wife in tow. She was a distant relation of his and was actually quite a looker, if the body hid under her cloak was any indication. Naruto and the group said hello and ushered them in. Shino might not have shown it, but he was happy to be included. It wasn't often he got to socialize with those he considered…friends. Neji showed up a little while later with Hanabi in tow. She was allowed to stay under the condition that she not be a stuck up little bitch (Naruto never was one to mince words). Once everyone was there, Naruto hollered for them to 'come and get it' and it wasn't long before the food was gone. More small talk followed until everyone began to drift off, with a promise to get together more often, especially if Naruto was cooking. With the first day of school over and done, the family retreated to their bedrooms to cap off the day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While Ino was in the bathroom, Naruto took it upon himself to remove their stained sheets. He didn't want to sleep on them after that episode that morning. He had just got finished putting on the new sheets, when hands appeared from behind him and a soft mouth began to nibble along his neckline. He groaned and tried to be a voice of reason.

"Ino, sweetie, as much as I can enjoy your enthusiasm, you've been on your feet all day and you need to rest. Let's go to sleep."

She turned him around and looked him up and down.

"I want a repeat of this morning before we hit the hay. Are you denying me Uzumaki Naruto?"

"As your king and husband, yes, I am denying you. You need your rest. King's orders."

He crawled under the covers, leaving a baffled Ino standing there. She narrowed her eyes and got in with a huff. She waited until his chest began to rise and fall with a slow rythym before springing her plan.

Naruto hadn't been asleep five minutes before he felt a familiar suction around him and his eyes flew open as he raised the covers. There was Ino, looking up at him like the cat that swallowed the canary. Naruto glared at her.

"Didn't I tell you no? Go to sleep, king's orders."

Her retort was to leap onto his chest and give him a very sloppy kiss. Once she had him back under her power, she gave him a half-lidded look and grinned.

"This is a mutiny. I'm in control here and I want a million man march right into my mouth."

He didn't have the strength or will to argue with her.


	19. Chapter 19

And here's Chapter 19. Seriously folks, thank all of you for hanging with me so far. Now with that out of the way, I'd like to point something out.

I write _fiction_ folks. That's written word that does not pertain to reality. If anything you read in here makes you think of reality...get off the computer, go outside, get some sun, and GET A FUCKING LIFE! To most of you this is just another one of my rants and rightfully so. To others, I hope this is a wake up call that you might, maybe, perhaps, just need to log off and get out a little more. Recently, I had a guy write, not a review, but a _diatribe_ against BHSD and why it sucked. Its on the review page, go read it. I was told all the things wrong with my story as it pertains to our reality. I can't stand those who actually take time out of their _obviously_ busy day to write an essay about why someone else's work sucks. You know what? YOU SUCK! Na na boo boo and whatnot.

Readers, reviewers, thank you...detractors, go sit on a railroad spike...Then the Morning Comes.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

"I'LL KILL YOU UZUMAKI NARUTO!! YOU HEAR ME? I'LL KILL YooooOH GOD IT HURTS!"

Naruto winced as he heard his wife holler through the double doors of the delivery room. At eight months and two weeks, the baby had decided that it didn't like being in Ino anymore and had made the decision to say hello to the world. Naruto was ecstatic that the child was finally coming, but the way Ino was screaming made him fear for his safety.

The fact that Ino had tried to break his hand while she was holding it, and had then tried to choke him wasn't influencing his decision to stay in the waiting room at all.

He remembered back to when Sakura had been giving birth to Hikaru. Not being knowledable at all about babies or the birthing process, he had opted to watch from behind a screen. Once Hikaru was born and handed to Sakura, Naruto had made the mistake of pointing to her crotch and asking if it ever would go back to normal.

That had been a horrible six months on the couch.

He chuckled as he walked that path down memory lane, catching the attention of Inoichi.

"So, what are you going to call the baby? Thought of any names?"

Naruto cracked one eye open and smiled at his father-in-law.

"We ain't naming it 'Inoichi' if that's what you're asking."

"I wasn't suggesting that. I was just wondering if the two of you had come up with anything."

"I haven't. I've already had a kid so I thought Ino should have the honor of naming her first. Besides, I'm not bothering her if she's acting like this. Sakura wasn't this damn violent."

"Well, my little girl isn't exactly a mortal anymore. Maybe demons are more…volatile, when they're giving birth than humans are."

"Maybe. Or maybe that's just the way the women in her family act. Didn't you say Yuka tried to kill you with a hidden kunai while she was giving birth to Ino?"

Inoichi shuddered and looked down the hall to where his wife was sitting, chatting with Tsunade and Sakura, the foxes all close by with the children.

"Yeah she did. It was scary as hell how that tiny woman had me cowering with fear. I usually don't scare easy. It comes with walking people's minds. But her…brrr, man I don't even want to think about it."

"I just can't believe the entire family is blonde. Hopefully the kid will have a different head of hair."

"Why's that? Blonde is a good color."

"Not saying it ain't. I just would like to see a different color."

Before the two could bicker any further, a nurse poked her head out the door and beckoned for Naruto.

"The baby's here and doing fine. If you'd like to see the both of them."

Naruto was gone from his chair so fast, all Inoichi saw was an afterimage.

'Well, here's hoping my grandchild looks cute at least…'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, boy or girl?"

Tsunade had finally tired of the meaningless drivel that Sakura and Yuka were spouting out constantly about how cute babies were and this and that…ugh, it was becoming most uncomfortable. Since she'd never had a child, she'd settled for mothering Naruto and Hikaru to death. Her fox Penni sat on the bench beside her, purring as Tsunade slightly stroked her fur absentmindedly. It wasn't often the fox allowed herself to be touched, but then again, Tsunade wasn't said to have magic hands for nothing.

Sakura looked pensive for once and put her finger to her chin, thinking about her answer. They'd all ran diagnostic jutsu on Ino over the months but they weren't very good at telling what gender a child was. Especially in the still formative stages. Ino had said that she didn't want to know what the gender was and had forbade them exclusively from looking into the gender of the child. Sakura had pouted and Tsunade had given her a harsh look for being so childish. If there was one thing Tsunade couldn't stand, it was immaturity because of something silly. She had enough of that from Naruto in earlier years.

"I think it's going to be a girl."

Yuka shook her head and crossed her fingers. Despite desperately wanting a grandchild, she wanted a girl most of all. At least at first. She wanted a girl that she could doll up and act girly with. Someone she could dote on. Tsunade saw that both of them wanted girls and smirked.

"I hope it's a boy."

Sakura and Yuka both looked at her like she'd grown another head. Yuka cautiously asked her why that was, as she already had one grandson, effectively.

"Because boys cause more trouble and I seriously think that any child of Naruto's would do this village good with their natural born trickster skills."

"How so?"

"Why Yuka, it's been so boring since Naruto became a respectable father figure. I just figured that we could use a shake up."

"…I'd still rather have a granddaughter. Sugar and spice and everything, nice you know."

"Meanness and snails and puppy dog tails for me. I'd rather have another grandson. Besides, girls have never exactly been my thing. I always preferred rowdiness to prissiness. Must be why Kushina and I got along so well."

"Be that as it may, that's two votes for girl, one for boy. What do you kids think?"

Hikaru, Juugo, and Karin looked up from where they'd been playing with the foxes and Karing immediately squealed for a little girl. Juugo gave her a sour look and spoke up for boy. Hikaru remained quiet until Sakura asked him what he wanted.

"I just want a little…anything. I'd like a sibling. I just wish that I could have a tail like dad does. I bet the baby will have tails and ears like dad and mom. Either way, it works out for me. I have someone new to play with!"

Tsunade nodded and turned to the summons.

"And you all? What do you want?"

The foxes all turned and looked at each other, shocked by the question. It didn't really matter to them what gender the kit was as long as it was there and alive. Kits were precious to the vulpine and every one was treasured. Genmaki, as the one who was senior in the mortal realm, was urged to answer first.

**I…would just like my Lord to have a new kit and for there to be no complications.**

Tsunade sighed and leaned in to the foxes a bit more.

"Genmaki, that's not what I asked and you know it. What do you want the kid to be, boy or girl?"

The fox sighed and held his head down.

**I suppose a boy…although, perhaps having a little girl around would tone down the other three…and give Karin someone else to play with.**

Penni, seeing that she wasn't going to be scratched any more until she answered, sighed and thumped her tails impatiently.

**I suppose I as well would like a girl. It would be nice to see a female first in line for the throne.**

Gin was stared at next and yawned, making everyone narrow their eyes at him.

**Troublesome…a boy.**

Shin sighed at his less than exuberant partner's answer and perked his head up.

**I'd like a boy. Karin's cool but boys are more prone to want to play and get dirty.**

Karin pouted and grabbed his tail roughly.

"I play with you all the time when I'm not training."

**Yes, but you don't do anything foolhardy like I do. And that gets boring sometimes.**

"Well, I'm not going to get hurt just so you can be entertained."

**Boring! What about you Megumi?**

**I would like a little girl myself. I just love kits in general though, so either is fine by me. I wonder who will be named as the guardian?**

Gin's head popped up and a gleam came to his eyes.

**Ah yes, another vulpine in the mortal realm. That will be something else. I'm sure the selection process will be wonderful.**

Genamki snorted and Gin turned his head to his superior.

**Selection process? Lord Naruto merely thought all of you looked like you could do the job or listened to my suggestions. There was no process. I think I'll suggest one of my kits to watch his that way they grow up together, like the Inuzuka clan.**

Yuka had been getting more and more lost as the time rolled on. She hated being out of the loop on anything and wanted a few answers.

"Um, excuse me. I know that Naruto and Ino are the monarchs of the fox realm but what is this about a guardian selection process?"

Genmaki turned to the woman and his eyes shone with mirth.

**Lady Yuka, it is not so much a process as a selection of one who Lord Naruto thinks is trustworthy to watch out for those he considers precious. That is why all his family have a fox to watch out for them and help them. I've been with Hikaru since he was four. I'll be with him until he dies. Since we of the vulpine don't age like mortals, we will be with the one we are selected to guard for their lifespan. I consider it an honor to guard Master Hikaru, just as the others consider it an honor to guard their charges.**

Gin snorted at that.

**No matter how stupid they may be.**

Juugo growled at his guardian and yanked on one of his tails, resulting in a yelp from Gina and then from Juugo when he was bashed over the head with another tail. Sakura sighed and pulled the two apart.

"We're in a hospital you two. Act like it."

She sat the sulking fox and boy down just in time to see Naruto bolt through the doors into the delivery room.

"Well, looks like the baby's here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto walked silently to the bedside, where a beaming Ino was smiling at a bundle in her arms. Naruto smiled at his wife and kissed her forehead.

"Hey you. You tired?"

Ino looked up at him and smiled wearily.

"Exhausted. She's beautiful isn't she?"

Naruto looked down at his new daughter and poked his finger at her nose. The little infant tried to follow his finger with both eyes and ended up crosseyed. He chuckled and pulled his hand back.

"Ino, lay her down and peel the blanket back. I want to see what she looks like."

Ino nodded and laid her daughter on her back while unraveling the blanket. She revealed a beautiful baby girl with foxy features.

The little girl had a silver set of fox ears on her head that twisted and turned with every noise and breeze from the air vents. A single silver tail was wrapped around her waist and her eyes were a beautiful golden color. A small tuft of red hair adorned her head. Besides the whisker marks on her face, she bore absolutely no resemblance to either of her parents, other than the fact that she was a demon fox. Naruto looked upon his daughter with pride and poked her belly, causing a giggle to arise from the little bundle of joy.

"You're right Ino, she is beautiful. What are you going to name her?"

Ino looked up at her husband and sighed happily as his tails entwined with hers. It was all she could do to keep her eyes open but she wanted this feeling to last forever.

"I thought we'd name her…Mikomi."

Naruto nodded as he went to usher everyone in to see the new mother and child…through the window of course.

'Hope…yes, that is an appropriate name. Mikomi, hope.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After everyone had seen the baby and wished the parents well, Naruto walked back into the room and sat beside the bed as Ino fed Mikomi. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous of his daughter, especially after all the months of a no touching rule (which both of them had blissfully ignored at one point or another) but shrugged it off.

"So Ino, how does being a mother feel?"

"Tiring. And…ow, ow, ow!"

Naruto immediately got serious.

"What's the matter? Are you hurt? Do I need to call the doctor?"

Ino scowled at him and put Mikomi back to her breast.

"No, its nothing like that. It's just your daughter already has a tiny set of teeth and they _hurt._ I hope she weans early."

Naruto chuckled at his wife's antics and sat back further in his chair.

"You'll get used to it. At least you have Sakura and Yuka to ask for help. Yuka's wonderful you know, as far as a mother-in-law goes. Sakura's parents hated me. They wouldn't talk to me ever and I think they threw a party when we got the divorce. Heh, that's why I love your parents."

Ino raised an eyebrow and winced when Mikomi bit her again. Her only thought at that moment was that breastfeeding sucked.

"Oh? And why do you love my parents? You're not supposed to get along."

"I'll have you know that me and Inoichi get along splendidly. Your parents treat me like family and for that they'll have my undying gratitude. Now then, we need to think about what we're going to do when we get home."

"What do you mean? We have the baby's room ready and everything. What else is there to worry about?"

"I need to find a guardian for her. A fox to grow with her. And I believe that one of Genmaki's kits will do just fine."

Ino's eyes lit up and she giggled.

"I've always wanted to see what his kits looked like. I bet they're cute."

"They are. They are also highly intelligent and if they grow with her, they'll bond and be extremely useful. We're going to have to start watching our Ps and Qs with the Uchiha from here on out. He'll be looking for a chance to strike. He's gone too long without doing something."

Ino sighed wearily and laid back while readjusting her gown. Mikomi lay asleep in her arms and she handed her to Naruto so she could adjust herself and get comfortable on the hospital bed.

"Why oh why didn't you just kill the asshole at the wedding? It would have saved so much trouble. But nooo, you just had to play the noble one and deal him a blow to his ego instead. I swear Naruto, sometimes you're too kind, even to your enemies."

The demon king sighed as he looked at his newborn daughter snuggled into his arms and kept his head down.

"I know Ino. And there's not a day goes by that I don't regret not killing him there and then. But I just couldn't bring myself to do that. He had children and…I don't know what I was thinking. It just didn't seem right to assassinate the future Hokage there."

"You weren't assassinating him, you were performing a community service. And as far as Hokage, I can't believe the idiots of Konoha still let him take office. That's a mistake you know that you'll have to deal with sooner than later."

"I know sweetie, I know. I just…perhaps we should have left and moved to Suna, taken Tsunade and Jiraiya with us, just up and left. But that would mean that Juugo and Karin would still be under his thumb. No…I think the current path I've laid is the correct one. When the time comes to put the Uchiha down, I'll do it and I won't hold back this time."

Ino nodded as she drifted off to sleep.

"I certainly hope so dear. I just have a bad feeling about him."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three more months passed and the day that the three children could take their exam had arrived. Ino was up and about and, with her demonic healing, was ready to teach them. Their days as children were over. From this day forward, they would be adults in the eyes of the village. The kids were excited, Juugo and Karin most of all. They would finally be able to stand on equal ground with their brother and go on missions. None of the adults had the heart to tell them of the horrors of D-rank missions. Once the kids were gone, all the adults sat around the table in Naruto's house, sipping tea and waiting for the kids to come back.

Mikomi played in her pen, giggling and laughing as she clutched a stuffed toy fox. Naruto had decided that on her third birthday he would get a guardian for her. She wouldn't leave Ino's side till then anyway, unless she left the village on a C-rank mission with her team. Tsunade smiled at her grandchild and picked her up, cradling her. Mikomi's eyes got big and she began to pat Tsunade's breast while giggling, causing Naruto to snort and try to hold in his laughter.

"I guess those things are fun to play with…"

He never got to finish whatever he was saying since all three women sent him crashing into the ground. Ino sighed at her husband's stupidity and refilled the teacups.

"I guess that I'll be really busy after today. I haven't taught a team before. It'll be interesting to say the least."

Naruto rubbed his head and ignored the snickering of the foxes behind him as he took his seat again.

"Ah don't worry honey, I'll be there to help you. No worries."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about."

Naruto pouted and turned his back on the women while they laughed at his expense. Mornings like these weren't all that common so any merriment was welcome. Naruto had become more and more tense worrying about what Sasuke was going to do and his usually jovial mood seemed to be forgotten. His smile came back however, when he took his daughter from Tsunade and lifted her over his head while she giggled happily.

"Everything's going to be just fine huh Mikomi? Don't you listen to Mommy one bit. Daddy's gonna make everything ok."

The women all smiled at the little melodramatic scene. Perhaps everything would be all right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru, Juugo, and Karin, along with their escorts, nearly tore the door off coming into the house, raising the ire of a certain Uzumaki.

"Oi oi oi! What the hell do you hooligans think you're doing? Cut that shit out and calm down! Oh now look, you've woken the baby."

The three stood somewhat shamefully as Naruto tried to get Mikomi to quiet back down while Ino emerged from the bedroom rubbing her eyes sleepily. Tsunade and Sakura appeared soon after, after hearing the ruckus from across the property. They thought Sasuke was attacking with all the noise. Tsunade immediately saw the headbands proudly on display and hugged Hikaru.

"So you passed huh brat? I'm very proud of you."

Sakura congratulated her children while Ino and Naruto hung back, watching the proceedings. Once the others had settled down, Ino coughed into her hand and smirked at the new genin.

"You realize, of course, that your asses are mine? From here on out, you are no longer children; you are soldiers under my command and will do as you are told, with no questions asked. I'll officially be made your commander in a couple days and we'll begin training and missions. We'll hold off on the Chuunin exams for a year or two to make sure you're ready. Other than that, we'll carry on as usual."

Naruto stepped forward and smiled at the three genin.

"Congrats kids. I'm proud of you all. I want you to realize that the only time your guardians will help you is in battle. We expect you all to be competent ninja on your own and not to rely on the power of your helpers. Now that said, who's up for a new recipe?"

This piqued everyone's attention. Naruto rarely used new recipes…and they were all delicious. Ino, drooling at the prospect of something different, spoke up.

"What is it?"

Naruto smiled and walked into the kitchen.

"It's called ABC Chicken."

Tsunade cocked an eyebrow and sat at the table.

"Why's it called ABC Chicken?"

"Because it's as easy as ABC."

Naruto pouted as they all groaned. No one ever appreciated his jokes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was midnight in Konohagakure and everyone was sleeping. Everyone except for one person.

Sasuke sat in his chair in the Hokage's office looking over the team selections that Iruka had put together. Most were adequate but when he came to Ino's team, he paused and scowled. Leave it to the Uzumaki to pit things in his favor. This way all the children were guarded and Naruto could be called at a moment's notice. Not only that, but the kids would all have foxes guarding them and demon foxes at that. Getting his spawn back wouldn't be easy. He was about to amend the teams when his window slid open and he turned to see who would dare intrude only to find…no one.

"I know what you were about to do Sasuke…and I wouldn't recommend you doing it."

Sasuke turned slowly to find the demon fox king sitting crosslegged on his desk holding Ino's team's file in his hand. He smirked at this and leaned back in his chair.

"And why is that? Do you actually think you can stop me? I will have my revenge on you one day Naruto, that's a promise. Don't think that just because you have had me stalemated in the past that I can't cook up something else."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and dropped the file back on the desk.

"Sasuke, I don't know why you insist on trying to make my life miserable or why you even carry a vendetta against me. I've never done anything to you to deserve it. You've always been an instigator of true violence between us. Is it so much to ask that you leave the children out of this? Let them grow up happy. Stop being such an asshole."

"Those brats are mine Uzumaki. They are my legacy and will be raised as true Uchiha."

"See, that's the whole problem Sasuke. You're not trying to be a father. You're trying to be an Uchiha. Your children are scared of you and you don't see that. Is that truly what you want? Don't do this to yourself or them Sasuke. I'm telling you, I'm not asking you."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed to mere slits and he leaned forward until his nose nearly touched Naruto's.

"Know this Uzumaki. You have taken everything from me. My family, my seed, everything. I blame you for the massacre, I blame you for my brother, I blame you for everything."

Naruto sighed and leaned back.

"You truly are mad. There will come a day soon, Uchiha, when you and I will fight. And on that day, you will die."

"Realize this Uzumaki. If I die, I will not go alone…and it may not be you going with me."

Naruto's visage immediately turned savage and his true power erupted, awakening everyone in Konoha. Sasuke himself was suffocating under the power and the two ANBU outside the door had already passed out. Naruto's red eyes and huge fangs shone in the moonlight filtering through the window.

**And realize this Uchiha. If any of my family dies, then I will personally follow you into Hell and torture you for all eternity. I will make sure that your brother has full access to torment you, that you watch your family die again over and over. I will make your afterlife miserable Uchiha. The Kami herself will not save you, the Shinigami will not save you. I will ensure your life is nothing but a waste. I could kill you now and be well within my rights. You have threatened my family not once, but twice now. The next time we meet Uchiha, I shall devour you. The sour taste will not keep me from doing it. May you rot in the layers of hell for all eternity.**

With his piece said, Naruto was gone in a flash of flame, all the papers on Sasuke's desk erupting into flame except the academy graduates folders. Once he had his breathing back under control, the Uchiha sat up and clutched his chest. He was truly a fool, taunting one who was as close to being a god as one could get. He'd done it twice and had gotten away, because of the demon's benevolence. He needed a contingency plan, in case he actually had to face the king in the future. Suddenly, realization came across his face.

'Of course. There is _that_ jutsu.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto slipped back into his bedroom to find Ino comforting Hikaru as she cradled Mikomi. He realized that his power must have engulfed Konoha and he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, throwing Ino an apologetic look. Hikaru leapt into his arms, already knowing who was responsible for the wave of power.

"Dad, what was that all about? Did you get in a fight with someone?"

"No I didn't son. I just lost control for a moment. I was mad about something. Now, you get to bed. All ninjas need their rest."

Hikaru walked off grumbling about never knowing anything as Naruto crawled into bed beside Ino.

"How'd the talk go?"

"I think you know. I came this close to killing him Ino, I really did. Don't worry, the kids are yours. But I'll have to do something about him in the near future. I fear I may have to kill him."

Ino kissed her husband on the cheek and handed him their daughter. He smiled at his daughter as her tail waved happily and she grasped at his cheeks. The little girl always made him smile and he ran his hand through her red hair. His nose suddenly detected something foul and he glared at Ino, who smiled devilishly.

"You woke her up, you change her Oh mighty ruler of foxes."

Naruto grumbled as he changed his daughter while Ino slept. His one revenge was putting the offending object close to her nose while she slept and watching as her eyes watered and she gagged while he laughed.

It was worth sleeping on the couch that night.


	20. Chapter 20

And here's Chapter 20. I hope you guys like this one. I had a lot of fun writing it. Think of this as the beginning of the end. Readers, Reviewers, thank you…The Theft. 

And remember to check out my sneak peek of **The Melt,** my new story. Leave a review and let me know what you think.

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

Naruto, in the past few months, had become very paranoid. Ino and the children had begun their missions and he dreaded the day that Sasuke would choose them for a C-rank. That would put them outside the village and in harm's way. He couldn't be there all the time and, while Ino was very powerful in her own right, she couldn't watch them all the time either. This created quite the dilemma for him, especially since he had threatened Sasuke and the Uchiha never took a slight to his minimal honor very well or with a grain of salt. He would use the children to get back at Naruto, one way or the other.

What Naruto feared the most was Sasuke using missing nins to either kidnap the children or to kill them. Not that the bastard would kill his own children, they were the last true Uchiha left. No, he would have them kill Hikaru, that way the Uzumaki blood died with the boy. Hikaru was the last living _mortal_ Uzumaki and it would be on his shoulders to carry out the family in the future. He'd have to keep a close eye on them in the future.

Naruto looked down at his daughter as she slept soundly in his arms. He didn't want her brought up in a world where you couldn't trust those with power, where everyone was a potential enemy. He wanted her to be happy and carefree. He wasn't naïve enough to believe that that was what would happen, but that's what he wanted. Hikaru was already too jaded from all his dealings with the Uchiha and those who still hated Naruto. His daughter would probably have it more so thanks to her demon blood.

He absolutely hated the though of his children having to go through what he went through when he was younger. But reality sets in hard when you least want it to.

Naruto looked up when he heard Ino and the kids come in and his nerves weren't settled in the slightest by the look on her face.

Something was wrong…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino's morning had started off great. She'd woken up Hikaru, fed Mikomi, and eaten breakfast with Naruto before taking the kids through their morning exercises. At the usual time of ten o'clock, they'd gone to the Hokage tower to receive their mission. As they stood in line, the children all talked about how cool it would be to get a C-rank. Ino agreed on the outside, but on the inside she was terrified of a C-rank. Not that the kids couldn't handle it, but she was afraid, like Naruto, of the underlying motives that such a mission might entail. Sasuke was devious and might use a mission away from the village as a means to strike.

Her anxiety higher grew the closer to the desk they got. It was like this every time they came to get a mission and she wondered why they did this at all. It wasn't like the Uzumakis needed the money. Oh yeah, it was because the kids had to have a minimum amount of missions to become chuunin, not that Ino and Naruto were going to let them try until they all were at least twelve. Children needed to be children after all, and in the demon's opinions, they were growing up too fast already. Of course, having an immortal lifespan would make anyone think the earth spins too fast.

Ino took a deep breath as she stepped up to the table with her team to receive their first mission of the day. Luckily, Iruka was on duty and he always made sure that she had a steady supply of D-ranks to keep the kids occupied. Upon seeing his favorite demoness, he smiled and pulled a random mission out of the pile, before a pale hand pushed it away. Ino nearly growled at the smug look on the Uchiha's face as he pulled a scroll out of the C-rank pile.

"I believe that your team is more than ready for a C-rank mission Ino. They have more than three times the allotted amount of D-ranks to qualify for it and quite frankly, I believe that you are holding them back purposely. You held them back from the chuunin exams last time they came around and you simply won't allow them a C-rank. I say it's time."

Ino narrowed her eyes and lifted her upper lift, exposing a canine. She'd been dreading this day. The kids, seeing the look on her face, thankfully stayed quiet.

"And I say that they still need more training. They aren't old enough to take on such a mission _Hokage-sama_. Hell, Karin is only a little older than half the age we were when we had our first missions. I want them prepared so that nothing happens like on _your_ first C-rank."

Sasuke growled at the mention of his first serious mission. It had been an eye opener in more ways than one. He'd gained his Sharingan on that mission but had also come to the realization that Naruto was stronger than him. That had been a hard pill to swallow. And he was still trying to swallow it years later.

"You will do what you are told Ino. Despite your husband no longer being under my thumb, as a jounin sensei to ninja under my command, you are liable for their growth and training AND you are liable for taking missions that are within the parameters of your team's level of skill. You WILL do this mission and you WILL do it in the time allotted. Despite what everyone may think, I am not lenient like that fool, the Sandaime, and I will not tolerate insubordination from anyone, least of all you! Now take this scroll and finish the mission."

Ino reached across the table to take the scroll, but Sasuke snatched it back as her fingers touched it and leveled a glare at her.

"You will do this mission with the knowledge that you should not cross me. Bad things happen to people who cross me."

"Is that a threat Uchiha?"

"You will address me as Hokage-sama and that is to be interpreted however you like. I am your commander and you will do as I say."

Ino snatched the scroll out of his hand and pointed to the door, where her team scrambled to get home and prepare. They might be excited but Ino's glare wasn't helping the mood. As she reached the doorway, she turned back and her killing intent flooded the room and even Sasuke began to sweat.

"Remember, Uchiha, that you are alive only because of the grace of my husband. Were it up to me, you would have died at my wedding. I DON'T take orders from you, I take suggestions. And as of right now, you are number one of my shit list. Just try something, I dare you."

She left and the killing intent left with her. Several sighs of relief were heard and Sasuke wiped his brow before ushering the next team forward. His plans for revenge may have to be sped up.

'Never dare an Uchiha, Uzumaki. There isn't a man or woman alive who can stand against us when we have the resolve to do something.'

No one liked the chuckle that had escaped his lips. It sounded too familiar to a certain snake's mirthless chuckle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto was not impressed as Ino recounted her story. This wasn't good, but perhaps, they could turn this into a favorable situation. They merely had to escort a council member to the capital of Fire Country and then come back. If Ino could make a favorable impression at the capital, perhaps they could make a few friends who would help them oust the current Hokage, _politically_ instead of killing him outright. Although Naruto felt it would still come down to him having to drive his claws through the Uchiha's chest in a morbid sense of irony.

Ino was having a conniption fit. She didn't want to do this, but since she was a jounin under Konoha law, she had to or risk losing the kid's to someone that Sasuke could keep under his thumb, like Hatake Kakashi. Naruto had long ago tried to make peace with Kakashi, at Ino's urging, but had given up when he found that the man believed that he owed it to Obito to follow Sasuke in whatever he did, no matter how wrong. Naruto was sorely disappointed in his old sensei and had told him so.

"_Stop living in the past Kakashi, and look to the future. Find a wife, have kids, live for yourself."_

_Kakashi only looked at him mournfully and hung his head, as if ashamed._

"_Don't you understand Naruto? I'm helping him, atoning to Obito. I have no future, for my future lies in my past."_

_Naruto narrowed his eyes at his sensei and stood, shaking his head angrily._

"_That's exactly what the bastard told me before he ran his hand through my chest at the Valley of the End. Would you do that as well Hatake?"_

_Kakashi said nothing as he sadly watched the back of his former student fade into the shadows of the night. He couldn't abandon Sasuke though, he'd put too much effort forward already to just throw him aside…no, his student needed him. Truly, he did._

Naruto was lost in thought as he packed Ino's things for her and tried to think of a solution. The only thing he could come up with was for Ino to call him if things got out of hand. Yes, she could summon him if things got too bad. He just needed to have Sakura or Tsunade around in case something went wrong. He needed to make sure Mikomi was safe.

"Ino, I have a plan. Just listen ok?"

Ino stopped her ranting and turned to him, obviously all ears. Mikomi slept on a pallet thrown on the floor, blissfully unaware of her parents' plight.

"Do the mission, do it quickly, and get back home. Don't hesitate to call me if the situation calls for it. Have the foxes on alert all the time. Don't hesitate to summon more if you think the situation calls for it."

"But what about Mikomi? You can't leave her here by herself."

"I'll stay over with Tsunade and Sakura and get them to have alternating shifts at the hospital so that if you need me, I can pass Mikomi to one of them. Megumi and Penni can take care of any…undesirables that may try to come to take her."

"Undesirables? You mean Sasuke's little pet ANBU?"

"Yeah, them. I'll try to do some snooping around before you leave tomorrow and see what I can find, but if I know Sasuke, he won't leave a paper trail and he won't have anyone, even those loyal to him, in on his schemes. He just doesn't trust anyone."

Ino sighed and picked up Mikomi, cradling her as the little demoness snuggled further into her arms. She smiled down at her daughter and nuzzled her cheek against the little girl's.

"Go and snoop then, just don't get caught. It'll look bad if you do."

She watched as Naruto began to shapeshift down into a small fox kit and resisted the urge to snatch him up and hug him, settling for her no-less adorable daughter, eliciting a yip from Mikomi when she squeezed a little too hard. She decided to talk to her team and get them prepped for the next day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino sighed as her team sat down in a semi-circle around her, their guardians lying beside them, ready to hear the full terms of the mission.

"Alright guys, I'm not going to lie, this might be dangerous. Generally, C-ranks are considered non-lethal for ninja due to the dangers only being highwaymen and other assorted riffraff that try to prey on travelers. With who our Hokage is we should assume the worst."

Hikaru fidgeted and Ino asked him what was wrong.

"So we should expect an attack from our own people?"

"Yes. We should expect an attack from all sides. Sasuke has said that he will do anything to get you two back under his wing and we can't let that happen. That's why the vulpine will be on watch all the time and I might even call in a few more for extra protection. We can't take any chances, so we're going to take the dignitary to the capital and then come home immediately. Yes, Juugo?"

"What are the chances of us running into ninja from Konoha and how should we approach them?"

"Good question. You should be friendly but aloof. Don't let them know too much about you and keep walking. Let me talk to them if they insist on stopping us. Vulpine, I expect you to sniff out any deception and if they seem too eager, discourage them from getting close, by force if necessary."

The foxes all nodded and turned to their charges to reassure them that they would let no harm come to them, only to find the children with eager grins on their faces. Hikaru had taken it upon himself to be the spokesman for the little group.

"Don't worry mom, we won't let you down. And if anyone tries anything we'll kick their butts."

Ino scowled and folded her arms and the kids immediately knew they had screwed up.

"If there are any altercations, you will not, I repeat, NOT, get involved in any way unless it's a last resort and you hear me give you the go ahead. The foxes will take care of the battles. And if they can't handle it, then we'll call in Naruto."

"Why can't dad come with us?"

"And who would guard Mikomi?"

"Oh…yeah, I forgot about her. Sorry."

"Don't be. This is a problem that we'll have to overcome as we go. Mikomi will be perfectly safe with Tsunade and Sakura if your father has to come to us. Now all of you go get your gear ready. We meet the dignitary at the gates at 0800 hours tomorrow. Get some rest, you'll need it."

The kids all nodded and left to prepare for their journey while Ino retreated to her bedroom with Mikomi and sat against the headboard, watching as the little demoness played with her tails. She smiled as she watched Mikomi entertain herself by grasping for her tails only for them to pull out of her reach, earning a giggle from the heiress of the fox realm. Ino was just about ready to go to bed when Naruto appeared in a plume of flames. He didn't look happy.

"Find anything?"

"Nothing. He's clean as a virgin's honey pot. No paper trails, no gossip from subordinates, no nothing. Keeps his thoughts well hidden too. I couldn't even accidentally pick them up. I just hope this mission is on the up and up."

Ino sighed into his shoulder as he held her and rubbed her back. She'd miss his comforting touch while away, but for the moment, she'd enjoy what she could.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino sighed as she and her team walked up to the gate, to find an elderly gentleman waiting for them. Ino raised her hand as they approached in a sign of greeting. The man was surprised to see the famed demon queen of Konoha at the helm of a genin team with foxes as escorts, but quickly schooled his features to impassiveness.

"Toriyama-sama I presume?"

"Yes that's me. Are you the team that is to escort me to the capital?"

"We are. Shall we go?"

"Of course. May I know the names of those who are protecting me?"

"Uzumaki Hikaru."

"Uchiha Juugo."

"Uchiha Karin."

"And I'm their jounin instructor, Uzumaki Ino. Shall we go now, Toriyama-sama?"

"Of course, sorry to hold the journey up."

The team left the gates without incident and when they had been on the road about an hour, Ino called for them to stop.

"I think we're far enough out that we can continue on faster. Toriyama-sama, I'm sorry for this but, due to certain circumstances, my team and I have to return as soon as possible, so we're going to have to move at optimum speed."

Toriyama cocked an eyebrow and shuffled his feet.

"Forgive me Ino-san, but I simply can't move at the speeds you ninja folk do."

Ino smiled and nodded to the kids, who climbed aboard their respective guardians' backs. She cried out 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' and a horse sized fox appeared before her.

**My queen. How may I serve you?**

"I need you to follow me and allow this man to be your passenger to the capital."

Ino had phrased it as a request instead of an order since she knew how many foxes looked down upon humans with disdain, but luckily for her, this fox wasn't one of them. It nodded its head and lowered its body to the ground.

**As you wish my queen. Mortal, climb upon my back and we shall make haste.**

Toriyama hesitantly climbed aboard and grabbed a handful of fur as the fox nodded to Ino and the old man watched with fascination as Ino transformed into a horse-sized fox and turned to the rest of the group.

**We should be going now. All of you keep up and don't falter. We're going to try to reach the capital by the morning. Let's go.**

They ran all night and there was many a bandit and thief who were dumbfounded by the sight of three children and an old man riding on the back of giant foxes. The mere sight of a giant purple fox leading an entire troop toward the capitol of Fire Country lead to many a story and rumor surrounding what their objective was and whether or not they were actually real or something that was a mass hallucination.

They stopped just a mile short of the capitol and Ino shifted back to her humanoid form, letting the foxes have a breather and dismissing the fox she had summoned who left with a low bow, declaring he would come whenever she would call. Besides Naruto, this had been Ino's first summon and she was practically giddy, due to the fact that she had never had a summon before. Squashing down her glee, she turned to her team and their assignment and crossed her arms, while letting out a huge sigh.

"Toriyama-sama, I would like to ask a favor of you, if you don't mind."

"Whatever I can do for you, I will if it is within my power. You and your team have given me quite an eventful trip and I am in your debt."

Ino smiled and put her hands on her hips.

"If you don't mind then, I'd like an audience with the Daimyo. Our _precious_ Hokage is an enemy of my husband and I, and I would like to discuss with the Daimyo his feelings on the current Hokage and his…mental status."

Toriyama raised an eyebrow and looked to the children, who conspicuously kept their heads down and their eyes to the ground. Naruto had taught Hikaru that when adults were talking, not to interrupt unless spoken to and he had imparted that wisdom to Juugo and Karin when they'd come to live with them. He'd told them that it would save them several sore bones and aching joints from his dad's hands. They'd taken the advice wholeheartedly.

"You…don't agree with the current Hokage? Are these not his children?"

Ino scowled and recrossed her arms. This might turn out ugly if he was an Uchiha supporter.

"These are his progeny, yes, but they aren't his children. You have to act like a father before you can claim to have children. Naruto is more of a father to these two than Sasuke is."

"You speak as if you are familiar with the Hokage on a personal level."

"We grew up together, all of us did. Sasuke…was never kind or considerate. He was always a little off and now he's so far off the rocker I don't think he'll ever get back in it."

Toriyama scratched his chin and weighed his options. Refuse the request and get on the bad side of a very powerful immortal demon family, or grant the request and try to remove a man from an office that even he thought the Uchiha should never have had. It wasn't a hard choice at all.

"I shall speak with the Daimyo and see what I can broker for you. I make not promises though."

Ino smiled and motioned that they should start again.

"That is all I can ask of you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Toriyama kept true to his word and got Ino an audience with the Fire Daimyo, who was absolutely delighted to entertain the demon queen. After all, it wasn't every day that he received royalty that wasn't human. Ino kept her ire in check and seated herself before the Daimyo, her team behind her.

"Thank you for having me Daimyo-sama. My team and I are most grateful that you would receive us on such short notice."

The Daimyo smiled and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. He might be a powerful man but he was very modest.

"Please Uzumaki-sama, you do yourself little justice. Were it possible for me to cross into your realm I would be delighted to have you receive me. It isn't often I get to meet royalty such as yourself. I only wish your husband were here as well."

"As do I, but that may be remedied in future times, if you can help us."

"I'll do what I can. What is your request?"

Ino took a deep breath and readied herself for whatever might come.

"The Uzumakis would like your help in dismissing Uchiha Sasuke from the office of Hokage. We find him unfit for that station and wholly undeserving of the title."

"This has nothing to do with the fact that your husband was overlooked for the title?"

Ino narrowed her eyes at the man and he began to sweat just a little. His house or not, he was in the presence of a demon and it was common knowledge that they killed for less than a slight against their character. Luckily for him, Ino was levelheaded when it counted.

"I was not married to Naruto when the Hokage was named, but I didn't support Sasuke even then. I don't know why he was named, other than the fact that it is a way to keep the Uchiha bloodline in the village, an appeasement if you will. Naruto had been groomed for years to ascend to that title and it was wrongfully taken from him. Not that he didn't get a better deal in the end anyway, but that isn't why we're here."

"Then why do you want him deposed?"

Ino looked exasperated and decided to just let it go.

"Have you never read of his exploits? Abandoning the village, obsessed with killing his brother, mentally unstable, selfish, abusive to his followers, have you heard nothing?"

The Daimyo frowned and stuck his hands in his overly large sleeves.

"I have heard…rumors…regarding the Hokage. I have not been impressed, to say the least. Any files on him seem to be mysteriously lacking in the information you profess to be true about him and I have met the Hokage personally. He does not exhibit any of the symptoms that you have said that he has. He appears levelheaded and to have a love for his people."

"It's all an act…"

Ino didn't finish her statement as the Daimyo snapped his fingers and a group of ninjas with ANBU masks came out of nowhere. Ino growled low in her throat. She'd been betrayed by the person who was supposed to have his country's welfare in mind. The Daimyo gave her an apologetic smile and stood.

"Forgive me Uzumaki-sama, for my treachery, but I have a country to look out for and demons are not looked upon kindly. The Hokage has told me that he wishes to have his children back and I believe that they are to be better raised by one who shares the Sharingan than those who disdain it."

"You've just signed your death warrant, you know. My family and people will not stand for such treachery."

The Daimyo sighed as he walked behind a hidden panel.

"You don't understand Uzumaki. You can't sign my death warrant because your death is already assured."

Ino glared at the panel where the Daimyo disappeared and motioned for the children to take up a battle formation. The foxes grew in size and their tails began to wave about furiously. Growling filled the air as one of the ninjas stepped forward, wearing a dog mask. Ino sniffed the air and found his scent…familiar.

"Allow the Uchiha children to come with us and you will be allowed to go free. Otherwise, you and the Uzumaki boy's lives are forfeit."

Ino growled as she began to take up her stance. She wasn't proficient in fighting ferally yet, but she always was one to go with the flow.

"I refuse. That bastard doesn't deserve to have children. How can you serve him and keep a clean conscience?"

The ninja seemed to sigh and motioned for the others to surround the team. Ino's eyes darted around the room, searching for a way out. When none was found she did the only thing she could do.

She summoned Naruto.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto had been talking to Tsunade as he held Mikomi when he felt the tug in the back of his mind. He immediately knew that Ino and the kids were in trouble and shoved Mikomi into Tsunade's arms before gathring his wits.

"Ino's in trouble. Take care of Mikomi and don't let anything happen to her or yourself. Penni, stay alert for anything."

Penni and Tsunade nodded and watched as he faded out. The only thing on Naruto's mind at the moment was death for those who threatened his family.

He arrived on the scene to find Ino facing off with a ninja wearing a dog mask and the kids and foxes teaming up to take on the rest. On the floor lay a couple of the ANBU look-a-likes in pools of blood, their bowels on the floor, though whether Ino disemboweled them or the foxes did he wasn't sure. Seeing that Ino had the leader of the group occupied, he leapt for the kids, ignoring the familiar scent rolling off the dog masked ANBU.

Hikaru and Genmaki had been trying to help his younger siblings as they could but it soon came to pass that they were getting double teamed by two of the opposing ninja. Juugo and Karin were back-to-back and trying to keep their attackers at bay while Gin and Shin swerved in and out, trying to rip and tear flesh from the two ANBU. Naruto could see that they had all fought well and, though the fight had not been going on long, he could tell that they were all tired already. The kids weren't ready for fights against enemies of this caliber.

His eyes narrowed as he tore into the nearest ninja and spilled his guts all over the floor by putting his clawed hand through the ANBU's back. All the ninja's stopped when they felt the presence of the demon lord and Naruto snarled as he rushed through them all, rending limb from limb and spilling gallons of blood. He glorified in the mayhem he caused and the howl of pleasure he let loose chilled everyone to the bone. He dipped a finger in the pool of blood and put it to his tongue, reveling in the coppery taste.

"Mmmm, delicious. Now then, perhaps you'd care to explain why you attacked my children?"

The dog masked ninja, who was being detained by Ino at the moment, merely stayed silent. Naruto looked to Ino for an explanation. She had caught the man's arms with her tails and had then positioned her fangs above his jugular, ready to bite down in an instant.

"What happened here?"

"I was trying to get the Daimyo on our side, but it appears that the Uchiha has already poured honey in his ear. He'll have to be dealt with."

"Yes, both of them will. I've let this façade go on too long."

He turned his full attention to the masked man and sniffed the air, his eyes widening and his teeth fully bared.

"And perhaps you'd care to explain yourself…Hatake Kakashi."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi was ashamed of himself several times in his life. When he allowed Obito to die, when Rin disappeared, when Namikaze Minato sacrificed himself and Kakashi was powerless to do anything. When he found out that Sasuke had used chidori on Naruto at the Valley of the End. When he decided to support Sasuke in his goals as Hokage and had sworn his life to the Uchiha. He was ashamed of several things he'd done.

And he was never more ashamed than he was at this moment.

He lifted his gaze to meet Naruto's and slowly removed his mask.

"Forgive me Naruto, for what I have done here today, but I have sworn loyalty to our Hokage above all else. I'm just following orders."

Naruto snarled at his former sensei and clenched his fists.

"And what happened to never abandoning your comrades Kakashi? Wasn't I a comrade? Did I mean nothing to you?"

"No! It's not like that Naruto. I've sworn to follow Sasuke as atonement for Obito. I…I had to do this."

"So you would sacrifice the happiness of these children and the lives of my wife and child because of the Uchiha's whim? That is low Hatake."

Ino had been thinking about several things while the former student and teacher were talking and one thing kept sticking out. The fact that Kakashi had pushed a button on some device before they began to fight, right after she had summoned Naruto.

"Kakashi, what was that device you used before we began to fight?"

Kakashi bowed his head and a small tear escaped his visible eye. He had never felt so low in his life.

"That was a signaling device that Hokage-sama gave me before I left."

Naruto and Ino's eyes widened and fear grew in both of them. As Ino began to hyperventilate and the kids tried to calm her down, Naruto grabbed Kakashi by the throat, hoisting him to eye level.

"What did it signal for?"

"That you had arrived here and were no longer guarding your daughter. I'm sorry."

Naruto began to shake from fury and his power exploded outwards as he whispered the only word he could think of at the moment.

"No."


	21. Chapter 21

And here's Chapter 21. I know, I know, I'm an ass for leaving you with a cliffhanger. Soooo, here's the next one. Hope you like it. Readers, Reviewers, thank you…If You Want Blood (You Got It)

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

Naruto whipped around to face Ino and the look of utter sadness and anger nearly drove him over the edge of his own over boiling emotions.

"Ino, I want you to take this _filth_ and return to Konoha as quickly as possible. Shin, Gin, Genmaki, let the kids ride on your backs, full transformation. Stop for nothing. I'm sure there are enemies between here and there. Kill them, slaughter them, MASSACRE THEM! Let nothing stand in your way."

Ino nodded her head furiously as she stepped toward Kakashi, who had slumped submissively to the floor. She didn't bother looking back as she asked her question.

"What about you?"

Naruto's growls of frustration were growing in volume as he tried to calm himself. He needed his head clear for the task ahead of him.

"I'm making a quick stop over into the fox realm to gather reinforcements. If it's just Sasuke behind this, we won't need them. But…if it's Konoha as a whole…"

He left the question hanging for a moment before his eyes turned blood red and his fangs became more pronounced.

**We'll burn the village to the ground. None shall oppose us. For their sakes, they better hope it's the Uchiha's idea.**

Juugo and Karin were terrified of Naruto's transformation. They'd seen his fox form and they liked it, but this amalgamation of animal and man before them was truly terrifying. Naruto could smell their fear and turned to them with his red eyes as gentle as he could make them.

**Juugo, Karin, do not fear me. I'm still Naruto. Mikomi has been threatened as is probably in the clutches of your father at the moment. I can only guess what he intends to do to her. I need the two of you to be strong and help Ino and Hikaru through this. Understand?**

Juugo and Karin nodded their heads in agreement; utterly awash with relief that Naruto wasn't going to kill them. Unbeknownst to him, his killing intent had been climbing higher and higher, only not affecting Ino, Hikaru, and the foxes. Suddenly, they felt another spike in killing intent and all eyes turned to Hikaru, who had his head down and his hair covering his eyes, was leaking killing intent like someone was wringing out a sponge. Naruto walked over and knelt in front of his son, putting his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Son?"

Hikaru slowly raised his head and Naruto recoiled from shock. Hikaru was…truly his son. The boys normally limp pink and blonde hair had become shaggier and coarser, his canines had become more pronounced and his eyes had taken on a golden quality.

"Hikaru?"

The boy snapped his head up and stared at his father. He didn't know what to make of the expression on his dad's face but one word came to mind.

Fear.

Naruto was afraid that a bit of the old Kyuubi's presence had leaked into his son and was now manifesting itself. Hikaru's voice was somewhat ragged as he spoke.

"Don't worry dad, this is something that Kiba-sensei and I came up with a while back. He called it 'berserker mode'. It brings out my more animalistic qualities and enhances my senses somewhat. My baby sister is in danger and I can't think of a better time to show it to the world."

Naruto sighed in relief and stood up, patting his son on the head.

"That's good son. We'll talk later. Now you three head back to Konoha. I'll meet you there. Be prepared for war."

He disappeared in a flash of flames as Team Ino bolted outside and four huge foxes fled toward the hidden village of Konoha.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade had been holding little Mikomi for less than a minute when Penni perked up and began to growl. She tensed and whispered to Penni, asking what the problem was.

**Intruders. They're not friendly. And the Uchiha is among them.**

'Oh Kami. They planned this!'

Tsunade was about to bolt outside and run for the hospital, where Sakura could help her, but suddenly the walls of the house disappeared in a rush of flame and she looked outside to see Sasuke standing triumphantly with a huge dragon fire behind him. He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Her eyes went wide with fear and she clutched Mikomi to her breast more forcefully.

"What are you doing here Uchiha? And why did you destroy Naruto's house?"

Sasuke sneered and made a motion with his hand. Immediately, his ANBU fanned out around the house and surrounded Tsunade and Penni. The Hokage crossed his arms and laughed long and loud.

"At last, I'll have my vengeance on that blonde idiot. He has deigned to take my children from me, so I'll take his from him. Unlike him though, I'm not above destroying that which threatens me and that _thing_ you're holding will be a threat in the years to come. Hand it over."

"Absolutely not."

Sasuke quirked his eyebrow in an amused fashion, but before he could retort, Penni stepped in front of Tsunade, growling menacingly.

**You will not touch the princess. If you or any of your men step forward, I shall rip you apart. Leave this place now or you shall all die.**

"Bah, useless threats. You attack one of us, the others shall sweep in and grab the child. You won't harm that _thing_ if you don't have to."

**The princess is not to be harmed. I will lay down my life for her if need be. Lord Naruto would never forgive me if harm came to her.**

Sasuke grinned maniacally and drew his sword.

"Kukukuku, don't worry demon. Your master won't be able to forgive you, because you'll be dead soon."

It was over before it ever started. Penni, despite being stronger than all of those opposing her, simply could not keep her attention on all of them. She was overwhelmed by the numbers of her enemy and while she held her ground, Sasuke went after Tsunade.

It was just as she feared. The whole mission was a decoy to lure Ino and Naruto away from Konoha. She watched as Sasuke ran toward her, his sword drawn and ready to cut, and leapt back with Mikomi in her arms. She had to get away, find Sakura or one of Naruto's friends. Running through the hole in the wall that Sasuke had created, she ducked under a sword swipe and headed for the hospital. Sasuke grinned and chased after her. He loved it when things were in motion.

Tsunade jumped in the air and came crashing down with a heel drop, making a fissure in the earth, trying to buy herself some time. As soon as her heel touched down, she was off again, screaming for help as the Hokage stayed close behind her, swinging his sword while laughing like a maniac. People dove out of the way and looked on in fear as the Godaime and Rokudaime ran through the streets, tearing up everything in their path. Tsunade wondered why none of Naruto's friends were there to help until it hit her.

'The bastard has them all out on missions.'

The hopelessness of her situation was beginning to sink in and she stifled a scream as the blade cut her free arm. Mikomi was wailing and flailing about. Tsunade was frantic. She didn't want to die, not like this, not while she held her granddaughter. She pushed chakra into her legs and jumped forward several feet before turning to face Sasuke. He drew up and rested his sword on his shoulder.

"Tired of running already Tsunade? Kukukukuku, I was hoping for more of a challenge."

"I'm not running from you anymore Uchiha. I'm making my stand and making sure you don't get your hands on Mikomi. I don't know why you are trying to get her but I won't let you kill this child."

Sasuke put his hand over his heart in an overdramatic display of hurt.

"You wound me Tsunade. I wouldn't merely try to kill the child just like that. No, she won't die immediately. Her parents need to be here before that happens. I want to see the looks on their faces as I hold my sword to her throat, taste the despair as I rob them of their child like they've robbed me of mine before I kill the both of them."

Tsunade's eyes widened and she shook her head in disbelief.

"Naruto will kill you this time for sure Sasuke, if Ino doesn't gut you first. Your time on this earth is up."

The smirk on Sasuke's face fell and his look became very grim. Tsunade could only wonder if his insanity had finally broken his mind.

"You have no idea how true your words are. Taking Orochimaru into myself was poor planning on my part. The disease that ate away at him has begun to affect me as well. My only goal now is to see all my enemies dead before I go. And Naruto must suffer most of all."

"But why?"

"Because…he deserves to suffer. All my problems can be traced back to him. He gave me companionship and made me weak. He tried to stop me from going to Orochimaru and gave me hope that someone actually cared. He kept trying to bring me back, distracting me from my goal of defeating Itachi. My whole predicament is his fault."

"That makes no sense."

The maniacal gleam came back into his eyes and a smirk familiar to Tsunade swept across his face.

"It doesn't have to make sense to you, as long as it makes sense to me. I need no reason but my own to destroy what is precious to others. NOW DIE!"

Tsunade tried to knock his arm away but Sasuke drove his sword into her chest and ripped Mikomi out of her arms before bounding away towards the Hokage tower, laughing like a madman the whole way. Tsunade gasped and groaned at the pain in her chest, even as she began to heal it. She lamented the fact that she was simply too old to stop him and protect someone who was precious to her.

Penni appeared beside her mistress not a minute later, her fur missing patches and blood all over her. The look in her eyes was one of pure hatred for Sasuke and his followers. She looked at her mistress as Tsunade tried to heal herself and caught the scent of the Uchiha as he ran.

**Where is the princess?**

Tsunade looked up guiltily at her fox and turned her head away, tears of pure anger in her eyes.

"He took her. I was too weak to stop him. He…the bastard took her Penni. What are we going to do?"

**Did he tell you anything?**

Tsunade told her the story of how he wanted revenge on Naruto and the fox growled and bore her teeth.

**Scum. Pure, unadulterated filth. Kidnapping a kit to use as a bargaining chip.**

"What are we going to do?"

**We shall do nothing until Lord Naruto returns. From what the Uchiha said, he will not harm the princess until Lord Naruto is present. My Lord will know what to do.**

Tsunade could only nod her head sadly. Yes, Naruto would fix everything. She only hoped he would forgive her…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino and the foxes ran at top speed to get back. It was quite a spectacle to be sure. The only thing that Ino could think was 'faster, faster, faster, have to go faster.' The foxes were all grim and their anxiety was passed on to their passengers. Even the normally upbeat Shin was quiet and introspective. The princess of the fox realm was in danger and they might be too late to do anything about it.

Ino couldn't believe the dilemma that they had created. They had underestimated Sasuke's deviousness and ability to gauge their reactions. They should have killed him when they had the chance. Her animalistic side was kicking in and her thoughts were going from worry for her daughter to vengeance.

….rip, tear, bite, smash, rend flesh, grind bone, gnaw throat, kill, kill, kill…

Ino shook her head to clear it of the startlingly satisfying thoughts and tried to remained focused. They had to get there quickly, it would only take a little while longer and they'd be in the village. Even though they'd been running for what seemed like eternity, she knew that they'd only been running at optimum speed for less than an hour. Being a strong demon had its advantages. She could cover more distance in a single bound as a demon than she could in an hour as a mere mortal. They'd make it soon.

And anyone who hurt her family would pay…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto flashed into the fox kingdom atop the palace and leapt down onto the palace steps. All foxes in the vicinity stopped and turned toward their king, waiting for his reaction. He looked around wildly and spoke in a booming voice.

"Send the council to me immediately. Tell them if they're not there in five minutes, I'll kill them. This is an emergency."

The foxes darted off in different directions to find the council, not wanting to disappoint their king. He had been fair to them since he took up his reign and no one wanted on his bad side after what he did to the old head elder.

Naruto walked into the throne room and sat down on the top step. It wasn't long before all three council members came bursting in, panting heavily. Foregoing the usual greetings, Naruto stood and nodded at the three. The elder spoke for all three as usual.

**What do you need of us Lord Naruto?**

"I need you three to accompany me to the mortal realm. The Hokage has kidnapped my daughter and might be planning to kill her. I need you to come with me if force comes to force."

**We will follow you wherever you go. But…what of your status as protector of Fire Country and the Village Hidden in the Leaves?**

"Sometimes…sometimes you have to tear something down to build it back up and make it retain its former glory. If the village has anything to do with my daughter's capture or death, I'll see the village and all of Fire Country burn."

**Of course my Lord. We await your orders.**

Naruto nodded and readied himself to transport. He was stopped however, when Hinamori spoke up.

**My Lord, what does the Uchiha seek to gain by doing this? What could he possibly have to gain?**

Naruto sighed and turned to face her.

"He seeks to gain a measure of revenge against me, for what I can only imagine. He thinks that I am the bane of his existence. In truth, I should have killed him long ago, but I always hoped he would see the error of his ways and look at me as a friend again. That was foolish of me."

**Indeed it was Lord Naruto, but now you have the chance to rectify the situation. You can fix your past mistakes.**

"Hai, I can. Your primary objective is to secure my daughter and, if need be, bring her to our realm. I don't want her in harm's way."

The foxes all let a small smile cross their faces when he said 'our realm'. It made them feel that he was the best king they could possibly get. Without another word, they all vanished for the field outside Konoha. It would be most appropriate if they appeared in the spot where Naruto's journey began.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino and the kids had arrived at the gates and blasted through them, not bothering to stop for anything. They rushed home to find Tsunade's house destroyed and the main house in rubble. Ino grit her teeth and growled low. All those happy memories in that house, destroyed on a whim. Ino was about to turn and head for the Hokage tower, when she heard the sounds of sobbing with her sensitive ears and found Tsunade crying hysterically, with a battered Penni trying to comfort her. As soon as the older woman saw Ino she latched onto her and began to sob into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Ino. I couldn't stop him. He took her, he took her."

Ino tried to be calm and sensitive but it was increasingly hard. She abruptly pushed Tsunade away and held her by the shoulders.

"I don't blame you Tsunade. Now, where is she?"

"Sasuke has her. He said he would wait until the two of you were back before he killed her in front of everyone."

Ino's eyes flashed dangerously and she whipped around to face the children.

"Tsunade, can you fight?"

"Yes."

"Go find Jiraiya, Sakura, Shizune, anyone of our friends to help. If any oppose you, kill them. This is a matter of blood now."

Tsunade nodded and ran off to find help, splitting into shadow clones as she ran. Ino stared impassively at the children until she spoke, her guttural voice betraying no emotions except pure, unbridled anger.

**Baptism by fire children. That is what tonight is. Tonight, you become true ninja because I expect you to kill whoever stands in your way. Mikomi is in danger and I won't have her harmed if we can help it.**

The three nodded decisively and followed Ino as she began her charge to the tower, the foxes leading the way, clearing a path.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke felt excellent at this particular moment. He had felt Ino and her team coming and watched through his crystal ball as they headed for her house. He watched as they told Tsunade to find help and laughed as the old woman ran off. He looked down at the little girl he had in his arms, a collar with a leash around her neck. Mikomi was wailing in a very distressing way, due to the raiton jutsu that Sasuke was using to shock her through the collar. All around the dais he was perched on were ninja loyal to him and him alone. They cared nothing for Konoha as long as the Hokage's wishes were fulfilled.

He heard, more than saw, the approach of Ino and her team. The foxes ran out in front, biting and ripping the throats of any who stepped in their way. They cleared a path until Team Ino stood at the base of the dais. A large crowd had gathered earlier, wanting to know what their Hokage was doing with a baby with a tail. He tossed the crystal aside and stared down into Ino's burning eyes.

"Ah good, you're here. Where is your husband though Ino?"

"He'll be here soon and when he gets here, you're dead Uchiha. Give my daughter back and perhaps your death will be painless."

Sasuke shook his head and tsked the demon queen.

"I don't think you get it Ino. Today is the day I have my revenge on you and Naruto. You ruined my life, took my wife from me, and stole my children. Your punishment is that your children shall also be taken away from you before I kill Naruto in a most humiliating way. I have a jutsu that I know he'll love. My sensei taught it to me after all. ANBU, three of you come protect me."

Three of his loyal ANBU leapt onto the dais and stood beside their Hokage. Sasuke smirked and killed all three with a flourish. Ino watched with wide eyes as some of the blood spattered onto Mikomi. The Uchiha grinned evilly and pointed his sword at Ino and the kids.

"Kill those two, but spare my children. I have further need of them."

The remaining ninja of all ranks leapt into battle. Ino and the foxes tore into the jounins with a vengeance. The chuunin and genin took on the kids and the fight was on.

Ino was in full battle fury, her claws and tails splitting skulls and ripping through torsos, leaving the owners of the bloodied body parts to fall to the ground, where they were trampled by the mob that assembled around them. Ino's face was set into a permanent grimace as she continued to slaughter those around her. In those moments, she was the epitome of a vulpine vixen protecting her child. Nothing else mattered.

Genmaki ripped out throats like he was pulling potatoes out of the ground. As soon as one was finished he turned to another and the cycle began anew. This was his lord's child, a blessed vixen of the vulpine, and his life was her's. He drove his tail into an ANBU's heart and carried on.

Gin was methodical as he kept an eye on the kids and disemboweled ninja after ninja. He would have thought the threat of his lord was enough to keep these hairless apes at bay, but alas, blind loyalty to a pathetic excuse for a ruler could make anyone stupid he supposed.

Shin was, for once in his entire life, not smiling or joking. There were no flames of youth here, no shining examples of the shining brilliance of hard work. This was do or die, and he would not let his king down. He howled in frustration, as the enemies never seemed to stop coming. It didn't take him long to figure out that what he was fighting weren't normal clones. He growled in anger as he tore a throat open, only to spit it out as the repulsive taste accumulated on his tongue. He shouted out to his superior Genmaki.

**These aren't normal clones! These are people who have already been dead! These are reanimated corpses!**

**I know that Shin! Just keep fighting! Lord Naruto will be here soon!**

Shin growled and kept going, deciding to use only his claws and tails. This would be a long fight.

Juugo crushed another chuunin's face on his knee and fell back into his Muay Thai stance. There weren't many ninjas for him to fight, as most seemed to be circling Hikaru, but there were enough to sate his anger on. He thrust his palm into another's temple, killing the man. He knew he didn't like to kill, but they had started it. His adopted little sister's life was at stake.

Karin headbutted a genin with her hitai-ate, knocking him out. She hadn't killed anyone yet, but she knew eventually she would have to. She hazarded a glance up at her father and scowled at the satisfied look on his face. The man had no soul, she was convinced of that. She swept another chuunin's feet out from under him and put a kunai through his heart. It was her first kill and though she didn't want to admit it, she felt justified.

After all, this was her family they had decided to fight against.

Hikaru was like a man possessed. All those hours and days of practicing with his father were paying off here. He leapt from the chest of a man he had just impaled with his claws and kicked another in the jaw, before spring boarding backwards and delivered a head crushing heel drop to another's sternum, breaking it. He still hadn't touched the ground since his first leap and a small part of him was happy for that. His baby sister needed him and he'd be damned if he let something like size and strength stop him. His growls became more and more guttural and feral as the battle wore on, his looks becoming more primal and his claws lengthening with every passing minute.

He was truly his father's son.

A loud boom and shout warned them of the arrival of Jiraiya, who sat atop GamaKen, whose large spear and shield wiped out entire bodies with a slash. Several more shouts announced the arrival of their friends.

Sakura was smashing heads in and ripping them off with her incredible strength.

Kiba and an aging Akamaru tore into the enemies as a giant two headed wolf.

TenTen swept ninjas aside with her bo staff.

Cries of pain came from another area as Hinata and Neji Jyuukened everyone in sight.

Shikamaru was choking ninjas with his Kagemane.

Lee was everywhere at once it seemed, dashing in and out, crushing enemies with his superior taijutsu.

Chouji had grown to monumental heights and was crushing ninjas underfoot. He looked out over the village walls and to his horror, saw an approaching army. He squinted and gasped. It was the Sound. He looked back to where the Uchiha stood and narrowed his eyes.

"You bastard! You betrayed us all. You planned for all of us to be out of the village so you could take Naruto's daughter and invade with the Sound."

Sasuke threw his head back and laughed mirthlessly. He finally caught his breath and glared at Chouji.

"I always said I was loyal to the strongest village. Of course, I meant the Sound. You think I really care for this village? Do you? I care for my ambitions and mine alone. I want to see you all suffer at having everything taken away from you like I had everything taken away from me."

Sasuke soon felt the tug of a familiar power and knew that Naruto was about to arrive. He smiled and leapt off the dais and ran for the fields on the other side of Konoha. Cackling as he ran, with Mikomi in his arms, he shouted out for all to hear.

"Tell Naruto to meet me at the Valley of the End. I wish to revisit the past with him one last time."

The only thing that the assembled ninjas could do was turn their attention to the approaching Sound ninja. It was time to crush that village once and for all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto appeared in a flash of flames and ran for the center of town, the fox council right behind him. He wanted to kill Sasuke and today he would. He crushed anyone in his way mercilessly and found Ino's familiar signature. He knew that the kids were fine, he could sense them as well and almost let out a sigh of relief. He reached Ino's side in seconds.

"Where is Mikomi? Where is Sasuke?"

"He said for you to meet him at the Valley of the End. He wants your final battle to be there."

"Bastard."

Naruto didn't give her time to say anything else as he leapt onto the dais. The Konoha ninjas finished off the last of the undead bodies and turned to the golden figure.

"Everyone listen! The Sound are on their way and you need to protect the village. Fight until they are all dead. I need Sakura and Lee to come with me to the Valley of the End."

No words were said as the two appeared beside him in a flash. They nodded to their unspoken leader and he looked down at Ino.

"Ino, I need you to help out here. Stay with the kids and make sure they're safe."

"What about you?"

Naruto grimaced and looked at her with soft eyes.

"I'm going to get our daughter back and rectify a situation I should have taken care of years ago. The vulpine council will aid you."

He turned to the foxes and gave them a solemn stare.

"You three, full power, kill any who are not Konoha ninjas. Destroy them. Lee, Sakura, let's go."

Ino watched with sad eyes as the three leapt off the dais and ran for the Valley. She steeled her resolve as she heard Chouji shout that the Sound were nearly there. They had gotten bold and were only a mile from the gates, running toward the village in full view. Ino told all the foxes to follow her and they ran for the field in front of the gates. The Sound pulled up short when they saw a blonde woman with two purple tails waving behind her, grinning at them with pure bloodlust.

"Hello boys. I'm so glad you showed up. My subjects and I here were just dying to meet you."

The Sound ninja watched in horror as she transformed into a purple fox the size of a house and the rest of the foxes transformed into their true states. A flash of deadly white fangs made them shudder.

**And now you'll die because we met you. Have at them.**

As the foxes rushed forward with howls of glee, something became very apparent to the ninjas of the Sound.The Sound had no chance at the hand of so many demons.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto, Sakura, and Lee rushed along at top speed, following a trail that Naruto remembered vividly from his childhood. This was the trail they took to rescue the ungrateful brat when he went to Orochimaru. Sakura knew of it, but Lee and Naruto grew grimmer and grimmer as they went.

There was where Chouji had nearly died fighting Jiroubo.

This was the spot where Neji had taken the life of Kidomaru.

Here was where Kiba and Akamaru fell into the canyon fighting Sakon and Ukon.

This was the forest of Tayuya, where Shikamaru and Temari demolished half of the landscape.

They came finally to a strange white forest and Lee looked reverently upon the strange sight. There, hanging out of a giant spire of bone, were the remains of Kimimaro, the last of the Kaguya. Lee shook off his feeling of dread and continued following Naruto.

The scent was getting stronger and stronger, until finally Naruto found the light at the end of the tunnel. There, on the head of Uchiha Madara stood Sasuke with Mikomi in his hands, dangling over the waterfall by her tail. Naruto's fury grew as he took in the smirk on the Uchiha's face and his growl became more and more audible until it shook the landscape. Lee and Sakura took a step back, trying to stifle the over flowing killing intent that bubbled out of their long time friend.

Naruto was lost in his thoughts, his mind murky. The sight of his daughter in the hands of an enemy made his blood boil.

He felt angry.

He felt helpless.

He felt despair.

He felt hatred.

But most of all, he felt betrayed.

And there was only one person responsible for betrayal in his life…his head threw back as he howled the accursed name to the four winds.

**SASUKE!!!!!!**


	22. Chapter 22

Welp, last chapter. I hope everyone has enjoyed the story (although there are obviously those of you who haven't). I don't know what to say to those who have left me the little diatribes, except...oh well. My fics aren't for everyone obviously. Instead of telling me what I've done wrong though, like _whole story_ wrong, just say you didn't like my fic and move along to the next story in line. I don't mind criticism, but it feels like BHSD took more potshots than all my other stories combined. Maybe it's because it's my first story or maybe it was just that bad. Either way, it's over so you can quit complaining. Readers, Reviewers, enjoy...Deify.

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

Sasuke grinned widely at the shock on the three ninjas faces. He'd never felt so…alive. He sent another shock through the collar and chuckled when Mikomi squalled in pain. He observed the way Naruto's muscles tensed and reveled in the fact that his old friend was suffering. Oh, how he was suffering.

Naruto growled at the ebon haired man across the river from him. Why did his family have to get involved? His baby girl had never done anything to the Uchiha. Why did he take her? In the back of his mind, Naruto knew the answer. It was to make him suffer, to supposedly feel what Sasuke felt. Naruto closed his eyes and hoped that his plan would work. It had to work…if his little girl was to survive this.

"Whatever you're planning Naruto, it won't work. I have control of this situation and the only way it ends is with this little monster's death. I want to see the fear in your eyes as I kill her, watch the tears roll down your face, revel in the hopelessness you experience. I want to watch as you feel a fraction of what I have."

Naruto grit his teeth, his fangs poking over his bottom lip. He'd only get one shot. He turned back to Lee and Sakura to find them petrified.

"Guys, I'm going to get my daughter back. Stay here and wait for a sign to leap in."

Lee was nearly frantic. He knew that Naruto worked best on the fly, but this was a little girl's life he was playing with.

"Naruto, wait! Let's think for a second here."

"About what Lee? He's going to kill her if I don't get her away. Just trust me…I got this…I hope."

Sakura and Lee watched with wide eyes as Naruto began to channel chakra only for Sasuke to raise his sword to Mikomi's throat and tsk him.

"Nuh uh Naruto. You wouldn't want my blade to slip and cut something precious would you?"

"Damn it Sasuke! Let her go. She's done nothing wrong."

"Nah, I think I'll just shave a little bit off of her."

Sakura screamed and Lee began to remove his weights, but a quick hand motion from Naruto made them pause. The iciness of his voice even made Sasuke take notice.

"Go ahead Uchiha, do it. Cut her. I dare you."

Sakura was ahast at the callousness toward his own daughter.

"Naruto! What are you thinking? He'll do it, he's crazy."

"Yes Naruto, don't goad him. Sasuke is lost in his madness."

Naruto looked at the two out of the corner of his eyes and they were quiet.

"He won't do it because he can't."

His two friends looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

"What do you mean he can't? He has his sword to her throat right now."

Sasuke laughed loud and pushed the sword closer to Mikomi's throat.

"Are you really so naïve to believe that I won't slit her throat you fool? Fine! Believe it when you see her crimson river flow!"

Sakura screamed and Lee gasped when the steel made contact with flesh only to go bug-eyed when the baby disappeared with a poof. Sasuke ground his teeth in anger and looked toward the trio across the river. A second Naruto appeared with Mikomi in his arms. Sakura and Lee were dumbfounded and only Sakura could stutter out a simple 'how?'

"When I let my chakra spike I made two clones. Since the bastard didn't have his sharingan activated due to his arrogance and I had the air saturated with chakra, he couldn't feel me switch Mikomi with a Kawarimi. It was risky, but it worked."

With a poof the clone disappeared after handing over the screaming baby. Naruto ripped the collar off her neck and tried to calm her the best he could. With a mental command he summoned a large fox to his side.

**What is your command my Lord?**

"Take my daughter to the queen and make sure she is safe."

**As you command.**

Naruto gingerly laid Mikomi in the large foxes mouth and watched as the vulpine bounded off, looking like a furry crocodile carrying its young. Naruto almost didn't catch the blur going by him and reached out with a clawed hand to snatch the Uchiha out of the air and hurl him back across the river, where he impacted with Madara's nose. Sasuke grimaced as he pulled himself out of the crater and jumped back to the top of the statue.

"It seems I was indeed arrogant. You won't catch me twice in one day though Naruto. Your daughter may have escaped my judgement for now, but rest assured that the Leaf will burn. The Oto ninjas will make sure of it."

Naruto smirked and crossed his arms. Now that everything was on even ground he wouldn't have to hold back anything.

"Actually, I believe that Ino and the foxes are having a field day with the Oto ninjas right now. Some of those foxes have never tasted human flesh before. I'm sure they'll find it delightful."

Naruto was trying for a mind game with Sasuke but he could feel the fear rolling off Sakura and Lee. He focused his mind and sent them both a mental message.

'Don't worry. This is all for show.'

The two relaxed and he could feel the relief in the air. He turned his entire attention back to Sasuke.

"It seems that our entertwining lives end here today Uchiha, at the battlefield where it all started."

Sasuke nodded and drew his sword. There were to be no more words between them. This was their fight. Naruto saw the unspoken worry in his enemy's eyes and put his hand out to his friends.

"You two stand back. Don't interfere until I say so."

In a flash the two combatants were in the air. Sasuke swung at Naruto's head and followed up with kick to his gut. Naruto masterfully dodged the swing but the kick took him by surprise. He wanted Sasuke to suffer and had decided to keep most of his power in check by choice. He'd forgotten, however, that Sasuke was a Hokage not only in title but also in power. He'd need at least three tails to keep this level.

Naruto went on the offensive, slashing with his claws, trying to disembowel Sasuke, but only striking his shirt. Sasuke lashed out with a punch but Naruto caught it and when Sasuke went for a kick, Naruto caught that as well. The Uchiha smirked and made to hit him again but found all his limbs bound. Naruto bore his teeth and ground out.

"Hope you got a hard head motherfucker."

With a quick snap backward, Naruto headbutted Sasuke, sending him into the river below before landing lightly on top of the water and standing there. Sasuke emerged soon after, his Sharingan blazing before he ran up the side of the mountain, Naruto in pursuit. The entire exchange had only taken seconds, but Sasuke decided that he needed an advantage.

And for that he'd need dry ground.

As soon as he reached the top of the statue he leapt for the riverbank and flashed through the needed handseals before crying out 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' and grinned victoriously as he stood atop Handra's head. Naruto cocked an eyebrow and grinned as well.

'This should be interesting.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino and the foxes stood in the field, bloody and not in the least bit tired. The Oto ninjas had not been of any significance and she felt slightly…disappointed. As she came down off her battle high, she realized that her demonic side gave her a bloodlust when in battle and she was not sated in the least. Her desire soon gave way to worry as she wondered if Naruto had gotten Mikomi back.

The cheers of the people of the Leaf brought her out of her funk as all her friends and family ran toward her. The children reached her first and Hikaru tackled her as soon as she transformed back to her humanoid state.

"That was awesome mom! You guys defeated all those ninja and made it look easy."

Ino smiled down at him and ran her bloodied fingers through his pink and blonde hair, leaving streaks of red. Any other time, such an affectionate gesture would have been met with a general sound of disgust and protest but after such a battle, it only seemed appropriate. Juugo and Karin were silent as they stood with the rest. Ino sighed and slid Hikaru off of her and knelt before the two.

"Juugo, Karin, are you ok? You're not hurt are you?"

The two Uchihas shook their heads. It was obvious what was bothering them though. Karin voiced her worry immediately.

"Where's momma? She's not here and we can't find her."

"Oh honey, she went with Naruto to get Mikomi back. Don't worry, she'll be back."

Karin sniffled and nodded her head as she stood beside Tsunade. The older woman knelt down and wrapped her arms around the young girl and let her weep into her shoulder. The three children had taken lives that day that they shouldn't have had to take. That thought made Ino stand and search frantically.

"Where is Jiraiya?"

A grunt was heard and the aging pervert limped forward holding his side.

"Right here Ino. What's the problem?"

"What the hell was with those clones that wouldn't die?"

Jiraiya's face became pensive and he turned his face to the ground.

"That…was one of Orochimaru's forbidden techniques. It's a way to reanimate dead corpses and direct them to fight. It's similar to the puppetry practices of Askasuna no Sasori but the bodies are not preserved and they have no direction. They attack whatever is in front of them. I wouldn't have believed that the Uchiha was depraved enough to use it but it seems I was wrong. It's sort of a weaker version of Edo Tensei, requiring less chakra and using the actual bodies of recently dead people. I don't recognize any of them, so they're probably Oto ninjas."

Everyone's faces showed shock and disgust. This had been their Hokage? A remorseless man who defiled the dead? Ino held Hikaru tighter when she saw one of the council members tense and then relax.

"What do you see?"

**It's one of our people running toward us. Lord Naruto must have summoned her.**

Everyone watched as a large fox ran up to Ino and bowed hastily.

**My queen. I am sorry that I did not arrive sooner.**

"Is there word from Naruto? What happened? Is Mikomi safe?"

It was then that Ino noticed the tail hanging out of the fox's mouth and gasped. The fox opened its mouth to reveal a filthy, wet, but safe, Mikomi who seemed to be looking all around in wonder. When she saw her mother, she let out a squeal of happiness and raised her hands out. Ino felt the tears prickling her eyes and took her daughter out of the fox's mouth, which the fox was grateful for. It had been hard running and trying not to pant too hard.

"Thank you for bringing my daughter to me. I'm eternally grateful."

The fox bowed low again and stood beside her brethren.

**It is my duty to serve the king and queen. It is an honor to have met you all and to have had a hand in saving the princess.**

"I thank you all. Mikomi is safe because of all of you. Our home is safe. Now if only Naruto would come back."

This was an unspoken prayer from everyone.

'Please Naruto, come back to us.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto stared up at the smirking Sasuke and let out a low whistle. He just hoped that Handra was truly a snake of honor.

"Well, well, Sasuke, you got me there. I mean, whatever am I to do."

Sasuke glared down at his blonde foe. He was expecting a more…satisfying reaction. He watched as Naruto turned to Sakura and Lee and hollered at them.

"You two please call out your boss summons please!"

Sakura and Lee gave him an incredulous stare but complied. Twin cries rang out over the Valley and soon Katsuyu and GamaBunta stood before them. The large toad surveyed his surroundings and let out a satisfied puff on his pipe.

**Ah, so it's finally come to this. I was wondering how long it would take. The little pipsqueak has finally bit off more than he could chew.**

Katsuyu nodded her enormous head and looked at Handra.

**I believe he finally has, indeed, GamaBunta. Lord Handra, how are you? Have you been well?**

**As well as can be Lady Katsuyu. My people are flourishing now.**

Sasuke stamped his foot on Handra's head and glared down angrily at him.

"I didn't summon you here to chitchat with the other summons. I called you here to help me defeat my enemy."

Handra hissed angrily and glanced around.

**Who is my enemy?**

"The blonde one on the ground."

Handra glanced down at the fox king and saw him merrily waving at him with a huge smile on his face. The snake boss rolled his eyes toward the top of his head and chuckled.

**Kukukuku, I see. I refuse.**

Sasuke balled his fists in anger and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU REFUSE?"

Handra hissed angrily and opened his mouth, showing off his poisonous fangs.

**I am in an alliance with the vulpine and I am honor bound to abide by it. I have sworn not to attack him if he doesn't attack me and I shall not. You are the enemy of my ally. Do not call me or my people again. Consider your summoner status revoked. If you call any of us, we shall devour you immediately. Lord Naruto, forgive my interruption.**

Naruto smiled and waved his hand dismissively.

"Oh not at all. Don't apologize."

**I expect you to call upon me again some day.**

"Hai, I shall."

Handra nodded his head and with a hiss in Sasuke's direction, dismissed himself. Sasuke was unceremoniously dumped on the ground and stood up trembling with fury. GamaBunta and Katsuyu stood to the side and watched.

**Handra should have stayed and watched the fireworks. I ain't missing this for the world.**

**I agree, it will be interesting to see whether or not this plays out the way I think it will. **

Sakura and Lee kept silent, still unsure as to what the hell was going on.

Naruto watched with mild interest as Sasuke flipped through a set of unfamiliar handseals and decided to call him on it.

"Hey dumbass! Whatcha doing?"

"I'm going to make you suffer more."

"Seriously Sasuke, you can't hurt me physically, you know that."

The look on the Uchiha's face was frightening. He appeared to have leapt into the abyss of madness. The sinister grin that splayed across his face was abominabal.

"I don't intend to hurt you physically. I'm going to hit you where it really hurts. I'm going to let those you wish you had and one you love hurt you for me."

Naruto's fear grew steadily with each word.

"What do you mean?"

As Sasuke finished the last seal, he called out two simple words.

"Edo Tensei."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The four bystanders were appaled at what was about to happen. Messing with the dead was taboo. It went against the order of life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto watched with wide eyes as three coffins erupted from the ground and three figures staggered out, parts of their bodies missing. He felt tears creep into his eyes as he looked at the leftmost one. The short man he recognized as the first one to show him kindness, to show him he was wanted. The head slowly lifted to show the face of Sarutobi in his prime. The old Hokage glanced at the blonde in front of him and slowly swung his head to his left. Two pairs of eyes met his and he felt despair.

Naruto was starting to hyperventilate. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't happening. It was all a bad dream.

The red headed woman looked to the taller blonde and the brown haired man in awe.

"Minato? Sarutobi? What are we doing here? Where are we?"

"Kushina? Kushina!"

The small woman felt herself wrapped up in an immense hug and stared in disbelief at her husband.

"Minato, how are you here? What happened? Why are we here?"

"I know why we're here."

The couple turned to see Sarutobi's downtrodden visage as he stared at the black haired man behind them. They turned to him and waited for an explanation.

"This is known as Edo Tensei, a forbidden technique. It calls forth the souls of the dead and reanimates them to fight for the caster of the jutsu. It is necromancy at its worst."

Minato looked confused.

"But…then why were we called out of all those he could have summoned?"

"It's because of who we are to fight."

The utter sadness of his words were not lost on them. Kushina hesitantly asked who they were supposed to fight. Sarutobi nearly broke down when he answered.

"Your son."

The couple gasped and turned as one to the one they were supposed to fight. They took in everything about him. His blonde hair, his blue eyes, the whisker marks on his cheeks, the nine tails waving behind him, the ears on top of his head, the fangs hanging over his bottom lip. But most importantly, they took in the sorrow of his eyes and the trails of tears running down his cheeks. Minato uttered the one word that destroyed the dams of Kushina's emotions.

"Naruto…"

She began to wail loudly before Sasuke appeared behind her holding three kunais with tags attached. He watched with glee as her sobs stopped and her eyes took on a dead look. Minato stood silently as his head was pierced by the kunai and never stopped looking regretfully at his son. Sarutobi was the last and he looked back at the Uchiha with such a disappointed look.

"So you truly followed in the footsteps of my student. I am disappointed in you Sasuke, I had thought better of you."

"I did what I had to do to survive. Now I seek to take revenge on my enemies before I die."

"This isn't the way…"

"Shut up and do my bidding."

He jammed the kunai in the back of Sarutobi's head roughly and watched with satisfaction as all three completed their transformation. Turning to Naruto, he took in the defeated slump of his shoulders and the rivers of tears cascading down his cheeks.

"Do you see now what I have planned for you? I've brought back your precious Sarutobi and your parents for you, only to have _you_ take them away. A fitting punishment I believe."

Naruto stared hard at the Uchiha and his teeth began to grind furiously.

"Punishment? _Punishment!_ You're messing with the natural order Sasuke! You've desecrated the dead!"

"And if all goes to plan, so will you. There's only two ways to let their souls leave this plane of existence."

"And they are?"

Sasuke shook his head and wagged his finger, like he was scolding a child.

"Ah Ah, that would be telling. It's much more fun to see you work it out on your own."

Naruto didn't see Lee and Sakura leap down beside him, but he felt their presence on either side of him. He was grateful for that. Sakura stared sadly at the scene before her.

"I guess…I'll take your mother Naruto. I'm sorry."

"Yes, I'll take the Sandaime. This is very bad…Naruto, that leaves you with…"

"My father. The man who started this whole ball rolling."

Naruto slowly raised his gaze to lock eyes with Sasuke, who just stood there. His features became more and more feral as his eyes bled to red. He was lost in fury and despair.

**Once I've finished here Sasuke, I'm coming for you. I'll personally see you taken by the Shinigami.**

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

He slowly turned his attention back to the soulless stare of the Yondaime and let out a shuddering breath.

**Let's begin.**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was said years later that you could feel the colossal clash of the powers at the Valley of the End that day. The jutsus used were phenomenal and the land was devastated and changed forever. The statues of the Shodaime and Uchiha Madara were destroyed and the river between them nearly had its course changed. It was horrific and sublime at the same time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura had never known what Kushina was capable of. There were no records of her in the Konoha archives. No one had ever known about her. But outside Konoha, she was a feared kunoichi, almost on the same level as Tsunade. Not because of strength, nor because she had devastating jutsus, but because of her ferocity in battle. It was like fighting a tigress protecting her cubs.

Sakura ducked a kick aimed at her head and reached out to grab onto Kushina's leg to crush it. She caught the appendage and wrenched it completely out of the socket, only to have the red haired woman stand still and wait for the leg to reform. Suddenly, Sakura remembered why Tsunade had made her study the Sandaime's battle against Orochimaru. It was specifically for studying this particular jutsu.

As Sakura ducked and dodged various kicks and punches, she tried to remember what the secret was to this forbidden technique. Dismemberment didn't work, since the limbs would simply reform. Recently dead bodies were used as mediums and ash from the coffins helped to reform what had decayed. The only way the Sandaime had been able to stop them had been to use Shiki Fujin. She shook her head. No, there was another way, there was always another way. She threw a kunai at Kushina's head and the woman caught it in midair and hurled it back at her. Sakura knocked it away and her eyes grew wide.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lee was, for once, not having fun in battle. He was up against the 'God of Shinobi' and he couldn't even get close to the man. Every punch or kick he threw was negated by the man's superior jutsu archive. He'd never been assaulted by Earth, Water, Fire, _and_ Lightning dragons before, at the same damn time. Truly, the man deserved his title.

Lee punched through a wall of mud and tried to get at the Professor again. It was no use. The man simply couldn't be touched if he didn't want to be. It was hard for Lee to accept that the kindly old man he knew was once a feared man in his prime. And facing him in his prime, even when he was dead, was not a tantalizing prospect. Lee somersaulted back from a few dozen fireballs directed at him and dropped his weights. A handicap was not needed or appreciated here.

Deciding that discretion would not be the better part of valor in this match, Lee opened the first gate and shot forward, launching a fist at Sarutobi's gut. It connected and sent him flying back into a tree on the other side of the river. Not wanting to give his opponent an inch, Lee leapt over the span of the river and made to dropkick the Sandaime in the chest. The Hokage was on his feet before Lee ever got started though and made several Kage Bunshins to greet him when he landed.

Fighting multiple opponents was one of Lee's specialties, but he was severely handicapped against a Kage level opponent. With only taijutsu, he was outmatched against this one.

He heard Sakura shout and his eyes widened in recognition.

He needed to get close again…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto and Minato had been standing still for several seconds while the others were fighting. For Naruto, it was because he couldn't believe that he had to fight his father. For Minato, it was a rule of battle to let the other move first. Sasuke was getting impatient however, and shouted for the Yondaime to attack. He moved toward his son in a blur.

Naruto nearly didn't block the fist launched at his skull in time, but managed and threw a kick at his father's leg, trying to take out a knee. The Yondaime stepped over it and twisted his arm at an unnatural angle to land a punch in Naruto's gut. The demon king flew back several feet and stood up huffing and puffing. This wasn't going to be fun.

Of all the ways, in all the dreams he'd had, this was the worst family reunion ever. It wasn't fair, that he should have to take his parents and his adopted grandfather's lives just to satisfy a cruel man's whim. But…if his children were to ever be safe, he'd have to. He formed the Rasengan in his hand and grimaced when his father mimicked him. They both rushed forward and the two spiraling balls collided.

The burst of energy backlash was felt all the way in Konoha and it made the foxes fur stand on end.

Naruto leapt back as the balls began to spiral out of control and the energy dissipated in a huge dome, throwing Minato back and into the river. Naruto watched in morbid fascination as the man's right side was obliterated by the blast and then began to reform as he clambered out of the water. He heard Sakura shout and focused on her voice for but a moment.

So…there was another way to end it…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"DESTROY THEIR HEADS AND TAKE THE TAGGED KUNAI OUT! THAT DISSIPATES THE JUTSU AND MAKES THEM VULNERABLE!"

She leapt forward and threw a chakra-enhanced punch at the woman's head, only for her to shrink back, as if afraid. But Sakura knew now that she was right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lee set his face into a grim, determined frown and opened the second and third gates before shooting forward. He couldn't afford to miss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto stared sadly at his father and let all his power saturate the air. It was thick enough to cut with a knife almost. He felt the tears stinging his eyes as he leapt forward toward his stunned opponent. Naruto could see the fear in the man's eyes as he mouthed the word 'Kyuubi'. The only thing Naruto could think to say was…

"I'm sorry…father…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three hands plunged into three heads as one and yanked out the offending kunai and hurling them into the river.

All three recently revived people stopped what they were doing and turned to the young men and women that stood before them. Sarutobi recognized them again and bowed his head.

"Sakura…Lee…Naruto…I'm so sorry for causing you trouble."

Sakura and Lee were too far into trying to hold back their tears as the blonde and redhead approached Naruto. Kushina latched onto him with her quickly eroding body and sobbed.

"I just wanted to hold my baby one time in my life. Just one time…"

Minato clapped a hand on his son's shoulder and looked up at the sky.

"I'm sorry for what I had to do son. I never wanted this for you…for us…"

Naruto didn't trust his voice at the moment and just stood still, trying not to break down. He vaguely heard Lee and Sakura shout before he heard a thunderous cry.

"Goukakyu no Jutsu!"

The flames did little to Naruto but he watched in horror as his three most precious people were incinerated in the fire. His hard, red eyes turned to Sasuke and the smug look on his face did nothing to abate the hatred he felt.

"Such a touching family moment, but that wasn't why I brought them here. I believe I brought them here to destroy your emotions. They were worthless in that regard."

Naruto threw his head back and howled, his rage shaking the very skies.

'I never got to say goodbye…or that I loved them…'

Time seemed to stop all of a sudden as Naruto caught a shimmering figure hovering off to the side of the battlefield. His eyes bulged when he recognized it as the Shinigami. He growled and the Shinigami twisted its head to meet his gaze.

**I did not call you here, Death God, and neither did he. What purpose do you have here?**

_**One of you will feed me this day. I have come to observe before my feast.**_

**As long as you do not interfere.**

_**I shall not. But hurry, my hunger grows.**_

Naruto turned his attention back to Sasuke to see him flipping through hand seals. In a flash Naruto had him by the wrist, stopping his motions. Sasuke looked up to find Naruto's fangs inches from his face and a grimace of malice in place.

**There will be no more jutsus this day. What is about to happen to you is pure hatred, fueled by my rage. I told you before that I would devour you and I intend to keep that promise, by eating your black heart.**

Naruto backhanded Sasuke, but he couldn't go anywhere because of the iron grip Naruto had on his wrist. The blow broke his jaw and he cried out in pain. What happened next was gruesome and fitting for a man who held allegiance to no one.

Sakura and Lee watched in horror as Naruto ripped Sasuke apart. Limb by limb, tendon by tendon until he was nothing more than a torso and a head. Naruto stared at him in disgust and turned to see what the Shinigami thought. The pale figure nodded its head and Naruto plunged his fist into Sasuke's chest before flipping the heart into the air. He changed into his fox form and caught the organ in his mouth, crushing it and swallowing, bringing an end to the Uchiha.

He turned to see Lee and Sakura staring at him horrified and he sighed as he changed back to his humanoid state.

"Do the two of you fear me?"

They snapped out of their trances and looked down at the ground, ashamed. Sakura shook her head and Lee snapped his back up, that burning look in his eyes.

"I could never fear you Naruto, but that was a truly gruesome display. I believe your flames of youth might have diminished from it."

Naruto laughed and turned to the body of Sasuke to see a transparent whole Uchiha and a transparent Orochimaru behind the mound of flesh, Sasuke bound by a chain to his body and Orochimaru bound by a chain to Sasuke. They both frantically looked around until they saw the Shinigami slowly approaching. Orochimaru screamed in terror and tried to back away but was held fast by the frozen Sasuke. The Shinigami took two more steps and turned to Naruto.

_**So then fox, what shall I do with these two?**_

"Whatever you wish. Do with them as you please."

Sakura and Lee looked around for any sign of another person but found no one. Lee tapped his friend on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Who are you speaking to Naruto?"

The fox king sighed and turned his head to the heavens.

"No one Lee, no one."

_**I shall enjoy devouring you two and letting you rot in my belly for all eternity. **_

Naruto watched with no expression on his face as the knife of the Shinigami cut the chains coming from Sasuke's body and began to shovel the two inside his mouth bit by bit until only the heads remained. Sasuke and Orochimaru screamed in pain and fear until they were silenced forever by the Shinigami biting down hard. He turned to leave back to wherever he came from but was stopped by Naruto.

"My parents and the old man. What became of them?"

_**They have all suffered enough. I let them pass on into the hereafter. Even I am not so heartless as to make men such as those suffer again. Besides, I believe I got a good trade for them. Evil always digest easier than good.**_

Naruto let out a short hollow laugh and turned to his two companions.

"Come. We should return to Konoha."

He threw his arms around their shoulders and began to walk away. Sakura turned to look at Sasuke's body.

"What about his body?"

"Leave it for the vultures. They began to gather as soon as he appeared here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Konoha rejoiced as the three walked back through the gates and all their friends listened to the story with rapture. It was a time to rejoice and rebuild. Things could start anew.

Children could play without fear.

Old people could tell stories of the old days.

Ninjas didn't have to worry about reading underneath the underneath for their Hokage's deception.

And a certain family of foxes were accepted and revered throughout the land.

No, Naruto never did become Hokage, for he was already a King, but he found victory in defeat.

He found his parent's love but lost them all in one day.

He saw his adopted grandfather one last time only to see him destroyed again.

He saw his children grow without fear, even if his first-born couldn't stay with him forever.

He found acceptance among those he would protect, even if some still feared him.

And the fox realm and Konoha prospered in unity for as long as he was king.

**THE END.**

Thank you everyone for reading. It's been a good run, but alas, it had to end sometime. But come back one last time for the epilogue, to be up soon. This is pudgypudge signing off.


	23. Chapter 23

**EPILOGUE **

Uzumaki Hikaru sighed as he laid in his bed, the ever-faithful Genmaki by his right side and his oldest daughter on the other. He turned to his daughter and let out a groan of pain. His time was growing short.

"Kaname, be a dear and fetch the others. I don't think I have long left in this world."

Kaname nodded sadly and left to gather those who had come. Hikaru turned his head back to Genmaki and smiled sadly.

"It seems our time together is growing short my old friend. I only wish that I could have more time."

**Don't say such things Hikaru. We've been together for over eighty years.**

"I know. But it all seems a blur now. My only consolation is that I can see my dear Kaoru again."

Silence reigned in that room as Genmaki observed his aged charge. Out of all the foxes, he was the only one left of the originals. Gin and Shin had gone back when Juugo and Karin had died. Penni had been at Tsunade's side as she passed away and had actually cried. She'd become quite attached to the old woman. Megumi had tried to nurse Sakura when she fell ill, but she couldn't fix whatever was wrong with her. It was with great sadness that she went back to the fox realm. She begged Naruto to let her go back and he swore that when a suitable child was found for her, she could go immediately. Poor Megumi had become the most attached of all of them to humans. Having no kits of her own, she had substituted Naruto's family as her own.

He turned his thoughts inward and remembered the old days. He had watched with pride as Hikaru had grown. Achieving the chuunin status at twelve and jounin at fifteen. He had stood by proudly at his wedding to Sabaku no Kaoru and had been ecstatic when the girl had accepted one of his kits as her familiar. He had seen Hikaru's children born and had never been more happy as his wife became the familiar for one of the children when they came of age.

His family had flourished because of Lord Naruto and he was forever grateful. His only regret in this lifetime he had spent with Hikaru would be saying goodbye. He bowed his head in an attempt to hide his sadness.

Hikaru was lost in his own thoughts. He was going over his life, a sure sign that his life was nearly over. He remembered the first time he met Genmaki and GamaKichi. He thought back to the first time he met his wife and chuckled softly when he thought of how he had said that girls were yucky. Genmaki heard him laugh and asked what was funny.

"Just thinking of the past. Hey, remember when Juugo became Hokage and was livid because I was passed up?"

**Yes, I do. He said it should have been yours by birth and you told him that he was a better leader. I still don't understand your logic there.**

"Juugo was the better leader. I was a better big brother. I wasn't meant to lead a country. I'm not my father; I don't have the constitution to order people around. I was put here to give advice and raise a family that my father couldn't. I just hope he's proud of me."

**I know he is.**

Hikaru nodded and immersed himself in thought again. He closed his eyes and remembered the sad jounin Hatake Kakashi. He couldn't think of why he thought of the man but he did. His death had been a mystery. Labeled MIA by Konoha, no one knew what had become of him, but Hikaru did. Naruto had been willing to let the man live in misery, but Ino was not so forgiving. She'd come home one night with her claws covered in blood and Hikaru just knew it was Kakashi's. He just knew.

Thinking of Kakashi made him think of the Daimyo who had sold them out. His father had personally took care of the fat little man and he had brought the children with him to witness his judgment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Team Ino had fled to Konoha, the Daimyo had ran to one of his safehouses and stayed hidden for months. Once he deemed it safe to return to the capitol, his caravan moved out. Exactly one mile outside the gates, they'd been stopped by a tall blonde man with blood red ears and nine tails waving behind him. He stood with his head down, his hands at his side. One of the samurai on detail had walked forward and told him to move himself by order of the Daimyo. Naruto never looked up and kept his voice low.

"If you value your life, you will leave and head to the capitol. My business is with the Daimyo. He shall not leave this place this day, for this road is his grave, that tree yonder his tombstone. It is more than he deserves."

"I order you to move. If you don't…"

"Leave. Now. This is your final warning."

The samurai, honorbound to serve with their lives, leapt forward with their swords drawn. Before they ever reached him their blood was spilled upon the ground and Naruto stood as if he'd never moved.

"The rest of you leave now. I will pass my judgment upon this man. Go to the capitol and send for the undertaker."

The servants and attendants scrambled to get away from the scene, heading as fast as they could for the capitol. The Daimyo tried to run but found himself facing a demon. Naruto's eyes had gone blood red and his fangs had lengthened.

**You tried to have my family murdered for your own ambitions. Because you helped a murderer, your punishment is death by my hand. Prepare to meet the Shinigami.**

The Daimyo tried to plead. He fell to his knees and begged and cried. Naruto gave him an ignoble death by slitting his throat with a claw and watching as the man bled to death. He turned back to the children and spoke in a soft voice to them.

"What I did was cruel and I do not expect any of you to mimic me. He threatened my family and I did what I felt was best. Always take care of your family, no matter what."

Hikaru never forgot that lesson.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He thought back to when he had made chuunin. This led to him thinking of when he had made jounin and three years later he had proposed to Kaoru. A single tear ran down his face and he whispered to the wind.

"I want to see Kaoru again. I want to kiss her. I want to see my family again. I miss them all."

Genmaki heard him whisper and nudged his hand with his nose.

**You'll see them soon. I promise it.**

"Thank you."

Hikaru tried to hold back the tears by thinking of other things. He had ascended and taken the Fox Yonnin title from his mother. His brother had ascended to Hokage and Hikaru had taken on an advisory role with his sister Karin. After he had taken the title from his mother, she and Naruto had taken Mikomi and gone to live in the fox realm fulltime.

He had begged them to stay, but they merely smiled and hugged him and Kaoru.

"Our time in this world is past Hikaru. It is time to leave it to your generation. You will lead Konoha into the peace that we could not."

And they had. There hadn't been a war in all of his eighty-five years. Thinking of the past was becoming depressing more than cheering him up though. All the people that had gone on before him… All he had left were his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He opened his eyes when he heard the doorlatch click and saw his family enter. He smiled and tried to raise himself up, only to be pushed back by Genmaki's tail.

**Don't. Save your strength.**

"For what old friend? I have no more battles to fight."

Instead of holding him down, Genmaki used his tails to help Hikaru prop himself up. He breathed heavily until he was used to his new position and sank back into the pillows propped behind him. He smiled wearily at his family.

"I'm so happy you're all here. I only wish Kaoru was here to see you all. I'm so proud of all of you."

Sniffles and sobs were heard even while they put on a brave face. This was Uzumaki Hikaru; one of the strongest Konoha had ever produced. Ninja were supposed to die in battle, but here he was, being defeated by old age, a rare occurrence for a ninja. He looked around at all of them and closed his eyes. When he finally opened them again, he turned to Genmaki and patted his friend on the head.

"I want to see father and mother and Mikomi one last time. I want to say goodbye to them the way father never got to say goodbye to his parents. Can you fetch them for me?"

**Of course Hikaru.**

As Genmaki vanished, Hikaru's oldest son stepped forward.

"Father, forgive me, but you can't see grandfather again. He's not amongst the living anymore. He'd have to be at least a hundred years old."

Hikaru smirked and laid back against the pillows.

"You'll see. My father is a great man. You'll see where you came from."

The family stood confused and were startled when Genmaki poofed back into existence. He rushed to Hikaru's bedside and sat on his haunches rubbing his nose affectionately on the man's arm.

**My Lord and Lady come soon. He just has to get your sister away from her suitors.**

Hikaru chuckled and nearly had a heart attack from laughing when three eruptions of flame made his family scream and jump. Their eyes widened when Naruto, Ino, and Mikomi stood before them. Naruto and Ino had not aged a day. Ino had gained three more tails and Mikomi had grown into a beautiful demoness with two tails. She immediately rushed to her brother's side and latched onto his neck, sobbing into it. Hikaru wrapped his arms around her and cried into her shoulder. They hadn't seen one another in thirty years.

"Why brother? Why didn't you call us sooner? Why not when you're dying?"

"Because I wanted you here with me so I could say goodbye."

Mikomi continued to hug him as the family eyed the three demons suspiciously. One of the grandchildren suddenly leapt out of his seat and ran to another room. He came back with a weathered photo taken nearly fifty years ago. He looked from the photo to the three and his voice caught in his throat.

"It is true. You're our grandfather."

Naruto chuckled and ruffled the young man's hair.

"Your great grandfather actually. I am Naruto, Hikaru's father."

"But…but you're a demon…"

"Hai, I am. But Hikaru was born before I became a demon. I'm not going to tell you the story as its common knowledge. Just check the library."

A soft voice came from the bed.

"Father, come. I wish to speak with you one last time."

Naruto knelt at the side of the bed and Ino and Mikomi detached themselves from Hikaru. Ino sadly took in her son's visage. Gone were the bright eyes and blonde and pink hair. Instead of her beautiful boy, was an old man with white hair and wrinkles that looked like canyons. She held his hand and listened as the two men spoke.

"I'm here son."

"I just want you all to know, that I love you and I'm sorry that we didn't see each other over the years. I was simply too busy watching over my family to call you and we all suffered for it. I just have one last request father."

"Anything."

Hikaru let a soft smile cover his face and he put his hands together as if in prayer.

"Play a song for me one last time. Your guitar is still in its case in the vault. Makoto, go fetch it please."

The little redhead known as Makoto soon came back with the ancient instrument and Naruto handled it as if it were a newborn babe. He tuned it and checked the strings. Everything still worked as if it never left his hands. Hikaru sighed happily and laid back into the pillows.

"I kept it tuned all these years. Never did learn how to play it like you wanted me to, but I kept it in tune and the strings in working order, in case you ever visited. Play me a song."

Naruto smiled. This was way too nostalgic.

"Any requests son?"

"Just play me a song old man."

"Says the pot to the kettle. Allright then, I'll play _When the Children Cry._"

_Little child dry your crying eyes  
How can I explain the fear you feel inside  
Cause you were born into this evil world  
Where man is killing man and no one knows just why  
What have we become just look what we have done  
All that we destroyed you must build again_

Hikaru felt his eyes growing heavy and it was getting harder to breathe. He thought he saw a shimmering light, but it had to be his imagination.

_When the children cry_

_Let them know we tried  
Cause when the children sing then the new world begins_

_Little child you must show the way  
To a better day for all the young  
Cause you were born for all the world to see  
That we all can live with love and peace  
No more presidents and all the wars will end  
One united world under God_

Hikaru opened his eyes wide when he saw a white light and a blonde man and red haired woman stepped out of the light. Behind them was a beautiful young woman that he recognized immediately. It was Kaoru. He smiled and the man motioned for him to close his eyes. A tear rolled down his cheek as he complied.

_What have we become_

_Just look what we have done  
All that we destroyed you must build again  
No more presidents and all the wars will end  
One united world under God_

Naruto had been watching the whole time as the three figures appeared, but he kept singing. His child wanted one last song and he wouldn't deprive him of that. He was happy that his mother and father had come to escort Hikaru to the hereafter and even his beloved Kaoru had come. He smiled and moved into the last chorus.

_When the children cry_

_Let them know we tried  
When the children fight_

_Let them know it ain't right  
When the children pray_

_Let them know the way  
Cause when the children sing then the new world begins_

Naruto ended the song and turned to see the happy smile on Hikaru's face. He leant over and kissed his son on the forehead before standing and walking over to a corner, letting everyone else pay their respects. He felt a presence next to him and turned to see his father and mother, with a Hikaru who was in his prime with his arm around the beautiful Kaoru. He smiled and bowed his head to his father and mother.

"Thank you for taking him home. I hope you've all found peace."

"We have son. Everyone has. We just wanted to say that we all love you and this is goodbye."

Tears cascaded down Naruto's cheeks and he closed his eyes.

"Thank you all. I love you. Goodbye mother, father…Hikaru…"

He felt the ghostly lips of his mother on his forehead and when he opened his eyes they were gone. Ino touched him on the shoulder and he turned to see her small smile that always brought him joy.

"I'm so happy you got to see them one last time. You finally got to say goodbye."

"Hai."

Mikomi walked up, her eyes brimming with tears and curiosity.

"Daddy, who were those people standing over there with Hikaru?"

Naruto smiled and put his arm around his daughter's shoulders.

"That's a story I'll be happy to tell you baby. See it all started over a hundred years ago…"

And with a flash of flame, the demons were gone, Genmaki following them home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Uzumaki Hikaru's funeral was a grand affair. All of Konoha came to pay respects to a man who had given his life to his family and the village. Here was the fox sage that had helped bring peace to the land. As the latest Hokage gave his eulogy and the people began to walk forward with their white roses, Hikaru's favorite flower, they heard the strum of a guitar and all eyes turned to see a man with nine tails and red ears on top of his head standing before the casket.

They all listened in rapture as he began his slow, sad melody.

Thanks for all you've done  
I've missed you for so long  
I can't believe you're gone and

You still live in me  
I feel you in the wind  
You guide me constantly

I never knew what it was to be alone...no  
'Cause you were always there for me  
You were always home waiting

But now I come home and I miss your face so  
Smiling down on me  
I close my eyes to see

And I know you're a part of me  
And it's your song that sets me free  
I sing it while I feel I can't hold on

I sing tonight 'cause it comforts me  
I carry the things that remind me of you  
In loving memory of the one that was so true

You were as kind as you could be  
And even though you're gone  
You still mean the world to me

I never knew what is was to be alone...no  
'Cause you were always there for me  
You were always home waiting

But now I come home and it's not the same no  
It feels empty and alone  
I just can't believe you're gone

And I know you're a part of me  
And it's your song that sets me fee  
I sing it while I feel I can't hold on

I sing tonight 'cause it comforts me  
I'm glad he set you free from sorrow  
But I'll still love you more tomorrow

And you'll be here with me still  
All you did you did with feeling  
And you always found a meaning

And you always will  
And you always will  
And you always will

And I know you're a part of me  
And it's your song that sets me free  
I sing it while I feel I can't hold on

I sing tonight 'cause it comforts me

Once the final note had been played, he turned to the crowd and they all stared in wonder at the tears running down his face as he vanished in a plume of flame. They heard his whisper as it drifted on the wind

"One last song for you son...because I always loved to play for you..."

Because even demons weep for their own.

**FIN**

And now it's truly over. I hope you enjoyed the full story. This being my first fic, I'm sad to see it truly end. But I hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have. This is the pudgypudge, signing off BHSD for the final time.

**When The Children Cry**_ by White Lion_

**In Loving Memory**_ by Alter Bridge_


End file.
